Calendar Guys
by popsicle99
Summary: VOTED AS THE LEMONADE STAND'S FIC OF THE WEEK. Photographer Bella is heartbroken after her break up from Mike, but her best friend Rosalie has a plan to cheer her up - shooting a sexy calendar for Eclipse magazine. Lots of lemony fun! Featuring Bella, Edward and a whole feast of lovely Twi-guys! Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Bella, it's as simple as this: you need to get laid."

Bella rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her cosmopolitan. Typical Rosalie. The problems of the world could all be solved with a good orgasm. She wasn't Sex Editor of _Eclipse _magazine for nothing.

"Rose has a point," chipped in Alice. "You've been so down since you broke up with Mike. There's only so much us girlfriends can do to try and cheer you up."

"Oh what, so are you trying to tell me women can't be happy without a man in their life? Come on, Alice, I expected better from a feminist like you!" Bella laughed, playfully poking her best friend in the ribs, causing Alice to nearly fall off her bar stool.

"That's not what we're saying, Bells," said Rosalie. "But I am sick of seeing that scowl on your face. It's time to turn that frown upside down, and I honestly think your 'o' face is the transition expression in between."

Bella sighed. She knew her friends were not going to give up on this. They had a point – the past few months had been miserable. She'd really thought Mike was The One. Sure, he'd had his faults – who didn't? But they were making a go of it, to the point where she had been planning their wedding. Then he had to go and screw everything up by boning his personal assistant. _Jessica. _Bella's whole body shuddered with repulsion just thinking of that bimbo's name. She knew it had been Jessica who had seduced Mike, and he was just too weak to resist. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to trust another man again.

"Rose, I'm sorry but I'm just not ready for another relationship right now."

"Who said anything about a relationship?" asked Rosalie, coquettishly nibbling the olive out of her Martini. "I have a challenge for you…" She smiled that wicked grin that Bella knew meant trouble.

"Do tell, Rosalie, I'm all ears," Bella said, sarcastically. The alcohol was starting to make her feel more relaxed than she had done in weeks, so she was willing to hear Rose out.

"_Eclips_e is putting together a calendar for next year. A _nude male_ calendar." Rosalie sat back, looking triumphant. Bella and Alice exchanged confused looks.

"So?" asked Bella. "What has this got to do with me?"

"Duh! We need a photographer. I've shown Esme some of your work and she's agreed to hire you. Isn't that great?"

Bella raised her eyebrows and opened her mouth, dumbfounded. "Wow. _Eclipse _magazine! Your editor wants to hire _me_? Rose, this is huge! Thank- thank you so much!" Bella leaned across and hugged her friend, feeling happier than she had done in ages. This was an amazing opportunity.

"That's great news!" said Alice. "But I'm confused. What did you mean about a challenge, Rose?"

"Oh yes, this is the best part!" she winked. "Bella Swan, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to sleep with all 12 male models. _That _should give you your mojo back!"

"What?!" choked Bella, spitting out her cosmo in shock. "Rose, are you crazy?! No." She blinked furiously. "No!" She looked to Alice for support, but her friend was just giggling hysterically.

"Come on, Bella," urged Rose. "Esme has agreed to give you full artistic direction, which means you get to pick out the models yourself. You'll be like a kid in a candy shop."

"And who says they'll want to have sex with me? Rose, you've had some crazy ideas in the past but this really tops the list."

"Bella, you are smoking hot. What guy wouldn't want to have sex with you? And here's the thing – I have to interview these guys for the magazine so I can vet them for you in advance. You know, are they single, straight? What are their turn-ons, turn-offs? It'll be a breeze!" Rose knocked back the last of her drink and beckoned over the cute waiter to order another round of drinks.

"Alice, will you talk some sense into her, please?" asked Bella, looking pleadingly at her best friend.

"Well, she _is_ a qualified sex therapist – maybe sex is the best therapy," Alice laughed, enjoying seeing Bella squirm. Her friend had been so down since the break-up – almost zombie-like in her state of sadness. Rose's outrageous plan seemed to have shocked some life back into Bella.

Bella shook her head, but there was a smile on her face. Rose and Alice looked at her expectantly.

"OK."

"What?!" squealed Rosalie.

"I said, OK. I'll do it. Your insanity is clearly rubbing off on me, Rose, but what have I got to lose, eh?" Rose jumped off her bar stool with glee, nearly knocking into the waiter with their tray of fresh cocktails, and threw her arms around Bella.

"This is going to make you feel so much better, Bells, I promise!"


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Mr. January**

It _had_ been fun, Bella had to admit. Her, Rosalie and Alice had spent hours poring over the catalogue of male models. She had shortlisted a possible twenty 'lucky' guys, who Rose had then contacted to interview. One was gay and a couple had girlfriends, so they were eliminated pretty quickly. Between them, they narrowed it down to the final twelve. Bella felt like Tyra Banks on some fucked-up version of _America's Next Top Model._

Now the first day of the photo shoot had finally arrived and Bella was starting to feel a tinge of regret. What the hell was she doing? She knew she couldn't back out now though. Working for _Eclipse_ was too good an opportunity to miss and she knew Rose wouldn't let her live it down if she backed out of the other part of the challenge too. Plus, the model she had picked to be Mr. January was even hotter in the flesh than in his photo…

His name was Emmett. She had immediately been drawn to his picture by his sparkling blue eyes and cheeky smile. And, if she was being honest, his bulging muscles. And, if she was being _really _honest, his bulging pants.

Emmett was sat in a chair being fussed over by Alice, who was doing his hair and make up. Bella always worked with Alice on her photo shoots, and this had the added bonus of her friend being able to play wing-woman and put in a good word for her. He was wearing a white toweling robe and presumably nothing else. Bella had to admit the thought of his taut muscles underneath was making her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time. The top of the robe was gaping open to reveal the tanned skin covering Emmett's massive pecs. She imagined slipping the robe open ever further and running her hands over that smooth chest, and down… _Focus, Bella!_

She cleared her throat and surreptitiously readjusted her tight V-neck t-shirt and miracle-boost bra. Emmett had revealed in his interview to Rose that he was a 'breast man.' Bella had initially protested at her choice, unsure that she had what it would take to interest him, until Alice reassured her she could give her a bust to die for with the right underwear. She hadn't lied. Bella's boobs looked fucking great.

"Hi Emmett, I'm Bella. I'm your photographer today." She leaned forward and held out a hand, which he shook after a pause to stare at her chest. Alice smiled gave Bella a sneaky thumbs-up behind his back. "Are you all set?"

"Yep, raring to go." He flashed Bella the irresistible dimpled grin she had been so drawn to in his portfolio pictures. "How long do you think the shoot will take?"

"Well, that all depends on how good you are," Bella said in what she hoped was a flirtatious manner. She'd been with Mike so long she was really out of practice at these things. "I'm hoping it won't take too long though. I want to be out in time for the game tonight." A light flashed in his eyes. It was all about the game. Bella felt a tiny bit manipulative at playing him like this with the information Rose had gained from her interview. But she was also enjoying the rapport that she could feel building with this super-hot guy.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Emmett stood up from the make-up chair, his blue eyes locked with Bella's. She didn't want to count her chickens, but she felt like she had him hooked. Was it really going to be this easy? Boobs and football?

Without looking away, in one deft movement, Emmett slipped out of his robe and let it drop to the floor. Bella could hear Alice let out a little gasp. Before she could even gather herself and think about where to look, Emmett strode over to the winter-themed set. "I'm ready for my close up."

Bella gulped. Her eyes involuntarily scanned up and down his naked body. He really was a fine specimen of a man. She reminded herself that she had to be professional – at least until after the shoot. But it was going to be difficult to keep her thoughts from wandering into smutsville…

Bella's reverie was rudely interrupted by someone bursting through the door behind her. She turned around, fuming. This was supposed to be a closed set.

"Sorry… I'm… late!" panted the intruder, between ragged breaths. "First I got on the wrong train, then when I did get on the right one it was delayed for some reason. And this place was pretty hard to find, you know."

"Erm, I'm sorry – _who_ are you?" asked Bella putting her hands on her hips. This guy seemed to think he was supposed to be here. She was pretty sure he wasn't one of the models turning up at her studio on the wrong day. She took in the battered baseball cap, huge dorky glasses and rumpled t-shirt. Definitely not a model.

"Edward Cullen, at your service," he smiled, wiping a hand on his skinny jeans before offering it to Bella.

"And you're here _why_, exactly?" She reluctantly took his hand, gave it a limp shake.

"Oh, I'm your new assistant." _New cock-blocker more like_, thought Bella.

"I don't have an assistant."

"You do now," he flashed her a crooked smile. Bella noticed his teeth weren't perfectly straight. "Esme Cullen is my aunt. She's offered me some work experience on this shoot. The whole calendar thing, I mean. So here I am. Rosalie didn't mention it to you?"

"No. She didn't." Bella threw an exasperated look at Alice, who was packing away her make-up kit. Edward didn't seem to notice it. Alice just shrugged.

"I was stoked when Esme told me I'd be working with _the_ Bella Swan. I'm a huge fan of yours."

"You… you know my work?" Bella was slightly taken aback at his confession. She'd never met a _fan_ before.

"Yeah, I follow your photo blog religiously. I thought the _People's Park _portraits you posted were just stunning." He lowered his voice. "I've got to admit, I was pretty surprised when my aunt told me you were shooting a nudey calendar for _Eclipse_ magazine, but hey, I guess it's a job, right?" Bella pursed her lips, silently fuming inside. He was right, of course. After the effects of too many cosmos had worn off and Bella faced the reality of her decision in the cold light of day, she questioned the integrity of what she had agreed to. Not just the extracurricular challenge that Rose had set her, but the actual job itself. Was this really the direction she wanted her photography career to go in? Nevertheless, she was not about to admit that to this nerdy work experience kid.

"Actually, the nude form is considered one of the highest forms of art. Just look at Michelangelo's David." She gave Edward a tight smile.

"I think I could actually be looking at him right now…" Bella followed Edward's admiring gaze towards Emmett, who, apparently unfazed by the newcomer in the room, was practicing poses and did not look dissimilar to the famous statue.

"He's quite something, isn't he?" It was Alice. "Bella, I've got to scoot. Give me a call if you need anything. Oh, and good luck." She winked.

It didn't take long for Bella to get the shot she needed. Emmett was a natural and she told him so. "Aw, it's nothing," he said, modestly, as he reclined on the chaise longue draped in white furs. "Most of the work I get is underwear shoots. I'm used to stripping off. If you've got it, flaunt it, right?"

"Right. And you've certainly got it, Emmett. You're looking amazing." _Flattery will get you everywhere. _In the background, she thought she heard Edward scoff. Ugh, she had to get rid of him. He was totally cramping the little style she had. "Hey Edward, can you go to Starbucks and get me a coffee? Tall skinny vanilla latte. Emmett, do you want anything?" He shook his head, causing the strategically placed scrap of fur to slip a little and revealing to Bella that he was _really _enjoying this photo shoot. She felt herself blushing.

"Where's the nearest Starbucks?" Edward asked, begrudgingly. She could tell he didn't want to go, that he felt this sort of task was beneath him, but she didn't care. This was work experience after all. Interns were expected to do this kind of crap. Bella proceeded to give Edward some long and overcomplicated directions to ensure he would get lost. With any luck, her latte would be cold by the time he got back and she could send him out for another one.

With Edward gone, Bella felt the atmosphere in the studio shift. Emmett stared sexily into her camera with come-to-bed eyes and she felt butterflies in her stomach… and somewhere lower down. She told herself he was just doing his job, that he was being paid to look at her like this; but she knew she wasn't imagining the sexual tension in the room. As he fluidly changed poses, flexing and tensing his muscles, she could tell he was enjoying performing for her. He was basking in her stare like a cat in the sunlight.

Emmett pulled himself up onto his knees, casually holding the fur cloth teasingly in front of him, revealing just enough for Bella to feel her pulse quicken. She was thankful to Alice for the padded miracle-boost bra for the second time that day, as she knew it was masking her excitement beneath her thin cotton t-shirt.

"Do you like this?" he asked, looking straight at Bella, a knowing smile playing around his lips.

She swallowed. "Yeah, that works." Bella didn't know what else to say. She'd come to work that day prepared to seduce Emmett. Now it felt like the tables had turned and he was pursuing her. It was thrilling, but also a little scary. She'd been dating Mike since high school and couldn't remember the last time a guy hit on her – let alone a hot, naked guy.

"What about… this?" he let the fur drop. Bella could see the full extent of his arousal.

She smiled and bit her lip. "Erm, I don't think that's quite what the magazine is looking for…"

"I'm not asking the magazine. I'm asking you. _Do you like this_?"

Bella fixed him with a challenging stare and starting taking more photos.

"I'll take that as a 'yes,'" Emmett laughed.

**Author's note: I hope you like what you've read so far. More to follow soon... I'm a fanfic virgin so would love some feedback - please review! :)**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has already followed this story so quickly! This has spurred me on to bring you the next chapter - more to come soon. Please R&R. Disclaimer: **_**Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight (as I'm sure you know by now!).**_

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Mr. January (cont'd)**

"OK, I think that's a wrap," said Bella, lowering her camera. She'd actually got the shot she needed for the calendar very early on in the shoot but she was having way too much fun to tell Emmett to stop and get dressed. She was pretty sure he was, too. He certainly wasn't rushing to put his robe on again.

"So, how was it for you?" he grinned, swaggering – yes, he was _swaggering_ – towards her, still butt-naked. _This was one body-confident dude._

"The hottest January I've ever seen," replied Bella, her voice husky with desire. Maybe Rosalie was right. Maybe this was just what the doctor ordered. Her breath quickened. "Do you want to take a look at some of the shots?"

"Sure, I'd love to." They walked over to Bella's laptop, where she had already uploaded the photos. Emmett apparently still didn't feel the need to cover himself up. As they bent over the small screen, Bella felt her bare arm brush against his. It was like an electric shock; she felt a jolt of lust. But Emmett made no attempt to move away. Instead, he moved in closer to Bella and leaned across her to point at one of the pictures.

"That one looks great, don't you think?" he said quietly, so close to Bella's ear, that she could feel the tiny hairs stand up on the back of her neck. She could sense him looking at her, not the laptop screen, waiting for her reaction. Unable yet to turn round and face him, she peered intently at the picture Emmett had pointed out. It _did_ look great. In the photo, Emmett was seductively running his hands over his gorgeous body, his mouth slightly open in apparent pleasure, his startling blue eyes staring straight down the camera. Straight at Bella. She gulped.

Was it her imagination or had Emmett moved in even closer? She could smell his fresh-scented cologne and feel his hot breath on her cheek. Her whole body felt alive with a tingling feeling. The proximity of his muscular nakedness was calling to her senses. She wanted to feel his arms around her, to feel skin on skin. She slowly started to turn around…

"One tall skinny vanilla latte for Bella!"

_Crap!_

"Uh… Edward! You found Starbucks okay then?" Bella moved quickly to extricate herself from what she worried would look like a compromising position to her new assistant. The last thing she wanted was for Edward to run back to Auntie Esme with stories of her unprofessionalism. One word from the formidable Esme Cullen and her career would be ruined.

In her rush to move away from the laptop, she didn't count on Emmett moving at the same time and suddenly felt her hand brush up against the hot, soft skin of the model's manhood. What had seemed so desirable just seconds ago, suddenly felt alien and strange. Before she knew what she was doing, Bella jumped back with a little squeal. "Oh shit… er… sorry!"

Emmett glared at her, his flirty blue eyes suddenly turning cold. She was pretty sure he wasn't angry at her accidental touch – more like her accidental reaction. "Are we done here?" he asked, flatly.

"Um, yes. I guess we are." _Stupid, stupid, stupid_. She'd blown it. Things had been going so well with Emmett and in a split second the mood was killed. All because of that idiot Cullen kid. She was going to kill Rosalie for failing to mention this little annoyance would be tagging along.

Emmett stalked off to find his clothes, leaving Bella to face Edward, hoping he hadn't witnessed the humiliating incident. Judging by his stifled snickering, he had. Unable to think of a witty retort to make light of the situation, Bella just pretended like nothing happened. "So, you got my coffee?" she asked coldly.

"Yep, here you go. It even has your name on it. I gotta admit, I felt pretty stupid telling them my name was 'Bella' but it ain't Starbucks if it doesn't have your name on it, right?" He smiled sheepishly.

"Right," said Bella, pleasantly surprised at the gesture. It was stupid, she knew, but she always got a kick out of drinking a coffee with her name on. She noticed the barista had even drawn a little flower on her cup, too. _Huh? Cute_. "Thanks, Edward."

"No problem," he shrugged. "What are interns for?" Bella tried to detect a hint of sarcasm in his voice, but actually he seemed sincere. Strange. She'd been a bit of bitch to Edward today but he didn't seem deterred. Was he really that big of a fan of hers? Or just plain dumb? Either way, she'd have to try harder to put him off from showing up at the other shoots. She'd already failed the first step in Rosalie's challenge – she couldn't have this passion killer ruining the next eleven.

"Ok guys, I'm outta here. Got to catch the game." It was Emmett. Bella knew she should do something to bring this back on track – offer to go watch the game with him, give him her number, anything. But the moment was gone; the feeling that was so quickly ignited in her when Emmett had slipped out of his robe was well and truly doused. She muttered a quick 'thanks' and let him go.

Rosalie was going to be so disappointed with her – she had fallen at the first hurdle. And Bella found she was disappointed in herself. She hadn't been sure she was ready to take on Rose's challenge. Firstly, she'd had no idea if she would be able to seduce a guy. Her and Mike had been high school sweethearts – they'd starting dating after he shyly asked her to the Spring Dance. She'd never needed to flirt with anyone before. But with Emmett she'd found it surprisingly easy… and fun. Then there'd been the fact that she'd never slept with anyone but Mike. Well, technically she still hadn't. But the feeling of lust and possibility that had washed over her today had been delicious and irresistible. She was ready for this – and now she was more determined than ever. _Bring on Mr. February!_


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – Mr. February**

"You let him go? But Bella it sounds like it was a sure thing!" Rosalie was every bit as disappointed as expected. Bella could picture her on the other end of the phone, twisting her long blonde hair in frustration.

"Rose, I tried, I promise! But I was totally cock-blocked by Esme's nephew. I can't believe you didn't tell me he'd be tagging along!"

"Bells, I'm so sorry. It was all very last minute. I just didn't get the chance to let you know." Bella wasn't sure she believed her friend. It would be just like Rosalie to fail to mention something like this, for fear of Bella pulling out of the dare. "You're not going to give up now, are you? Think of this as a dry run. From what I hear from Alice you definitely made a good impression."

Bella sighed and smiled to herself. "Yeah, you're right. I did a pretty good job. Who knew I could be such a minx?"

"That's my girl!" squealed Rosalie. "Now, let me give you the skinny on Mr. February…"

Rose's description of Mr. February – real name Riley Biers - had been accurate down to the last detail. His portfolio picture did not do him justice and he was an absolute sweetheart. He warmly greeted Bella, Alice and Edward as he arrived at the studio, presenting them all with the fresh muffins he'd brought. "How sweet!" proclaimed Alice.

Sweet was right. Bella felt a moment of guilt at what she had in store for him. Riley had an air of innocence about him and if all went to plan, she felt like she might be corrupting him. She shook away the thought as often as it came to her. _Don't be ridiculous, Bella. Just because he's a nice guy doesn't make him a virgin sacrifice. He's probably had more lovers than you._

Once again, Rose had dug up everything Bella needed to know for Operation Seduction. Riley's turn-ons were long, freshly shampooed hair (_check_ – Bella was sure to flip her hair in his direction at every opportunity), girls who were into alternative therapies (_check_ – Alice had thoughtfully dotted some aromatherapy candles around the studio), and lingerie (_check_ – Bella was saving that one for later). Bella was determined to get it right this time. And she even had a plan for getting rid of Cock-blocker Cullen.

Bella looked over to Edward, where he was busy looking through her collection of lenses. Alice had already made herself scarce. Now was her chance. She sauntered over to Riley in what she hoped was a sexy way and said in a low voice, "So Riley, Rosalie mentioned to me that you're a part-time masseur."

"Yeah, that's right. It helps pays the bills when the modeling work is running low." He smiled a gorgeous grin.

"Oh that's great, because… um… my back has been killing me lately. All that time spent hunched over the camera, I guess." Bella stretched as if to emphasise her point, letting her loose tank top ride up to reveal a strip of creamy skin. "I was wondering," she glanced over at Edward again, checking he was still engrossed in his task, "is there any chance you could stay back after the shoot and give me a quick massage? I'll pay you, of course."

"Sure, it'd be my pleasure. Come here, let me feel how tense you are." Riley moved round behind Bella and put his hands on her shoulders, slipping his fingers underneath the thin straps of her top. She shivered involuntarily at his cool touch. He gently kneaded around her neck and the top of her back, an inviting taster of what was to come later. A teaser trailer for the main event. "Hmm, I can certainly feel a few knots here," he diagnosed. "Don't worry, I'll have you fixed in no time."

"Great, looking forward to it," said Bella, with a coy smile. She realised she was fluttering her eyelids at him and stopped immediately. _Jeez, did she really just do that? _

Plan in place, Bella went about setting up the shoot. Unlike Emmett, Riley seemed more self-conscious about stripping off and left it to the last moment to drop his robe. Bella politely averted her eyes, as tempting as it was to check him out. She would have plenty of time to look at him through her camera lens and she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

The February shoot was themed around Valentine's Day. _How original_, thought Bella. But Rosalie had been quite insistent that this is what the readers of _Eclipse _magazine would expect. She'd taken her inspiration from _American Beauty_, and Riley was now getting himself comfortable on a low bed covered in rose petals, with Bella's camera fixed above him on a scaffold and a single red rose clutched in his hand.

"Edward," Bella called over. "Can you please scatter some more rose petals over Riley? Make sure he's, um, covered up." She smiled smugly to herself. Any straight guy she knew would freak if they were asked to decorate another man's private parts with rose petals. If this didn't make Edward quit, she didn't know what would. Bella – 1, Cullen – Nil.

"Sure, no problem."

_What?!_

She looked on in mild horror as Edward casually picked up the bucket of roses and walked over to the bed, totally unfazed by her request. He artfully littered a few of the petals over Riley's body, and even joked to the model, "So how was your day at the office, dear?" Both guys laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation. Bella inwardly fumed.

"Er, do you want to do the honours, dude?" Edward asked, pausing when he'd scattered the petals as far down as Riley's nether regions. Being careful not to disturb Edward's work so far, the model reached into the bucket and grabbed a big handful of petals, before trying to bunch them up into a kind of floral jockstrap. "I think this is probably works better on female models," Riley laughed.

"Here, this should do it," said Edward, dumping the whole contents of the bucket onto Riley's lap. "Bella, does this look okay?" Bella wandered over to see what a hash the guys had made of it, but actually they'd done a pretty good job. Under the guise of inspecting their work, she let her eyes wander over Riley's body. He was slimmer than the muscle-bound Emmett, but nicely toned, with his hip muscles forming a deep V down to the pile of rose petals. Bella felt the urge to follow the lines of the V with her tongue… She flushed, and parked the thought. Work now, play later.

Like Emmett, Riley got the shot pretty fast. There was a sweetness about his warm brown eyes and wide smile that made the picture feel romantic as well as sexy. The perfect combination for Valentine's Day. Bella knew she should be feeling nostalgic about the numerous V-Days she had spent with Mike – but she couldn't. As much as she tried to remember some of the romantic things he had done for her, all she could recall was the tacky greetings cards he used to buy her. _It's meant to be ironic,_ he would say, _Valentine's Day is such a Hallmark occasion. It's not actually supposed to be romantic, you know. _Bella felt a twinge of sadness at the memory.

Edward hovered around watching her work, but she didn't mind, even if his multitude of questions were pretty annoying. She had her 'date' planned with Riley for after the shoot, so there was plenty of time to get rid of Cullen before then.

"OK, we're done," announced Bella, taking the last frame. "Amazing job, Riley, that was perfect." He nodded a 'thanks' as he jumped off the bed, spilling rose petals everywhere and quickly pulled on his robe. "Edward, you're done, too. You can head off home now."

Edward looked puzzled. "Don't you want me to stay and clean up?" he asked, gesturing to the rose petals covering the studio floor. "I thought that kind of menial work was in my job description." He laughed at his own joke.

"No, it's fine, I've got this. You've done enough for today," said Bella, firmly. Edward shrugged and began to pack up his things. After what felt like an eternity, he closed the door behind him. Bella let out a sigh of relief. Now it was time for the _real_ work to begin.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: OK people, things are about to get a little bit citrusy in this chapter! I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Please let me know what you think in a Review. :) **

_**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**_

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Mr. February (cont'd)**

_Alone at last._ Bella took a deep breath. She wasn't sure how this was going to play out. With Emmett, the chemistry in the room had been tangible; with Riley, she wasn't so sure. She recalled Rose's wise words: "_Any guy who's straight and single will take what's offered to him on a plate." _She didn't really like the idea of being nothing but a free meal to Riley, but her friend's advice gave her what she needed to screw her courage to the sticking place.

"So…" Bella breathed. "Where do you want me?"

"Oh, right, yeah. The massage." Had he forgotten about it already? That wasn't a good sign. For the past hour Bella had struggled to think of anything but Riley's big hands on her naked skin. "Um, I guess we may as well use the bed."

"OK, cool," said Bella, as if the thought had never occurred to her. _Now_ _I've got him right where I want him_, a vampy new voice that Bella recognised as her own said. She walked over the bed, still covered in rose petals, and Riley followed her. _Time for phase three of the plan._

Bella hesitated. It was now or never. If she made a half-assed job of this it would just look really awkward. She'd had enough of being Awkward Bella. It was time for Vampy Bella to take centre-stage. With a fluid movement, Bella peeled off her tank top to reveal a midnight blue lace bra. Nervously, she peeked up at Riley. He was looking. No, he was staring. She quietly let out a sigh of relief. Her plan was working.

Wordlessly, Bella unbuttoned the fly of her denim shorts and let them drop to the ground. She stepped out of them, aware now that Riley's gaze had dropped to the matching panties she was wearing. She turned to get face down onto the bed, fully conscious of the fact that the lace underwear was cut to show _just enough_ of the curve of her butt cheek.

She looked back up at Riley with a raise of her eyebrow. "I'm ready when you are."

The bed was lower than a massage table, so Riley sat down on the bed next to Bella. He put his hands on to the bra strap running across her back. "Do you mind if I…?"

"Not at all," purred Bella, relishing the feeling of anticipation. Riley fumbled with the clasp of her bra like a teenage boy trying to reach second base for the first time. Bella suppressed a smile. Surely, as a masseur, he'd done this hundreds of times before. Something must be making him nervous. She hoped it was her.

Emboldened by Riley's nerves, Bella made a snap decision. "Here, let me." She pushed herself up into a sitting position facing Riley, and reached behind her back to unhook her bra. She slid down the shoulder straps, letting the bra fall away. The cool air of the studio and the heat of Riley's hungry stare on her bare breasts felt exhilarating. She heard Riley swallow and his breaths become ragged. Bella couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so attractive, so in control. It felt phenomenal.

She gave Riley a small smile and lay back down on the bed. He cleared his throat, as if remembering he had a job to do, and placed his hands on Bella's naked back. His touch was gentle and firm at the same time. Bella was pretty sure in normal circumstances this would not get the knots out of her back, but as Riley's big hands glided sensuously over her skin she felt any tension melt away with pure pleasure.

He gradually worked his way lower and lower until he reached the top of Bella's panties. She silently willed him to keep going, to slip his fingers under the lacey fabric. He seemed hesitant, softly kneading the skin of her lower back over and over, getting tantalizingly closer and closer. Bella let out a small 'mmm' as a sign of encouragement. It worked. Almost.

Riley brushed his hands lightly over the top of her panties, following the curves of her butt down to her slim, bare legs. He massaged Bella's legs in long, purposeful strokes, letting his fingers slide down to the sensitive skin of her inner thighs, causing her to shiver with delight. Again, Bella willed him with all her might to explore a little further.

Just when Bella thought she was about to burst with sexual frustration, the tips of Riley's fingers brushed the lace between her legs. She couldn't stop a moan of pleasure from escaping her lips. This was too much; she had to make a move. She wanted to kiss him, needed to feel his body pressed against hers. She started to make a move to roll over on to her back.

Suddenly, Bella heard the door to the studio slam shut. In shock, she clutched her hands to her breasts, just as Riley pulled his hands away from her body. They both looked over to the source of the noise, horrified.

"Oh my god, sorry! I didn't think anyone would be here. I, er, hope I'm not interrupting anything."

_Cullen._

"I, um, forgot my phone," explained Edward, apologetically. "Ah, here it is." He picked up the iPhone and waved it at the stunned couple.

Bella was speechless with rage and embarrassment. She didn't want Edward to see her like this, knew she had to give an explanation. "Edward, look… uh, this is not what it looks like. Riley was just giving me a massage. Strictly professional."

"Yeah," added Riley. "I'm a masseur. Bella mentioned she'd been having back problems, so…"

"Hey guys, it's none of my business. I'll leave you to it," said Edward, hastily heading towards the door. Bella knew he didn't believe them. She thought she could sense something like disappointment in his voice. She just hoped to god he wouldn't say anything to his aunt.

Bella and Riley exchanged guilty looks. "I'd better be going," he said, getting up from the bed. Bella nodded, sadly. Once again, Edward Cullen had managed to completely kill her buzz. Awkward Bella was back. She pulled the white sheet off the bed and wrapped herself in it, suddenly conscious of her semi-nakedness.

"Well, you've done a great job on my back, Riley. You've definitely loosened me up a bit. Thanks."

"Don't mention it," he smiled, shyly, as he tried to pull on his jeans under the privacy of his toweling robe.

Bella showed him out of the studio moments later after an awkward goodbye. As she closed the door behind him, her eyes fell on the key poking out below, taunting her. She let her head crash against the doorframe in frustration.

_Next time, Bella, lock the damn door!_


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N - I don't know about you guys, but I think it's time for Bella & Edward to get to know each other a little bit better in this short interlude... Please R&R. **

**Disclaimer: ****_Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight._**

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Interlude**

Mr. March was running late. He had called to say an emergency had come up at the hospital and he would be at the studio as soon as possible. Apparently, he was modeling to fund his way through medical school. Bella was happy to wait. After two disastrous attempts at getting some, she sure hoped it would be third time lucky with the dishy Doc. Brains and beauty – that was her kind of man.

While they waited, Bella took the opportunity to try and smooth things over with Edward, after he'd walked in on her and Riley after the last photo shoot. He'd been really quiet with her since he arrived today, unlike his usual chatty and inquisitive self. She was still terrified he was going to tell his aunt.

She walked over to where he was showing Alice his new camera, enthusiastically pointing out all the cool features. Bella caught Alice's eye and gave her a meaningful look. "Edward, I just remembered I left something out in the car. Would you excuse me? I'll be right back!" Alice slipped out of the studio, leaving Bella and Edward alone.

"I just wanted to have a quick chat with you," started Bella, "about the other day." Her heart was pounding. She'd rehearsed this conversation many times in her head since the other night, but now she felt tongue-tied.

"Bella, honestly, don't worry about it." Edward fingered the strap on his new camera and tried to avoid her eyes.

"Well, that's the thing, Edward. I am worried about it. I'm worried that you got the wrong impression and that you might say something to your aunt that could jeopardize my career." Bella bit her lip. She hadn't meant for the words to come out so bluntly.

"What?!" scoffed Edward. "What do you think I am, some kind of snitch? Bella, what you do in your personal – or professional – life is your business. This internship means the world to me. I suppose your parents have been supportive of your career choice?" Bella nodded. She thought of Charlie buying her first camera for her eighth birthday, of Renee working extra shifts at the diner to pay for her photography classes. "Yeah, well not all of us are so lucky. I've had to fight to do something I love. Do you think I would so easily give up the opportunity of working alongside such a talented photographer? Do you think I would blow it by running to Auntie Esme and telling her you're boning all the male models?"

Bella gasped. "It was a _massage_!" she protested, starting desperately to believe her own lie.

"Whatever," muttered Edward, shaking his head.

It was the final straw. Before Bella knew what she was doing, she had lifted her right hand and – _thwack!_ – given Edward a hard slap across the face.

"Bella Swan!" It was Alice, back from her fictional trip to the car, entering the studio at this crucial moment. "What the _hell _is going on here?" Bella hung her head down in shame. This wasn't the first time she'd been on the receiving end of Alice's Strict Mommy act. It was all she could do to prevent herself from saying, "_He_ started it!"

Alice made them both sit down. Bella noticed with some satisfaction that Edward was rubbing his face. She hoped it really hurt. "Now, you two seem to have got off on the wrong foot. And like it or not, you're going to have to work together for the next while, so you may as well try to get along." Bella felt a little betrayed – Alice knew that Edward had been getting under her feet, but that little pixie just couldn't resist trying to do good and play mediator. Alice had a point though. Cullen seemed determined to stick this out, whether she liked it or not. Maybe if she tried being nicer to him she'd be able to get rid of him more easily.

It was time to suck it up.

"Edward," she said, looking straight at him, "I'm sorry… for being a such a bitch."

He looked back at her. "Apology accepted. I'm sorry for calling you a slut." Alice gasped. "And I'm sorry to Alice, for letting her believe I didn't deserve that slap." A crooked grin spread across his face and he winked conspiratorially at Bella. Despite herself, Bella giggled. She held out her hand to Edward. "Truce?"

"Truce." He took her hand and shook it firmly, smiling. Bella noticed an unusual hint of gold in Edward's eyes. It was so distracting she found herself holding on to his hand for a little too long.

The studio buzzer brought her to her senses again. Mr. March had arrived.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks again to everyone who has followed, favourited & reviewed this story so far! Please keep letting me know what you think - it's really helping me keep on writing. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Mr. March**

Bella jumped up to answer the door. She was dying to see Mr. March in the flesh. He had looked seriously cute in his photo – blonde hair, tanned skin and sparkling blue eyes with a naughty glint in them. She was definitely ready for a game of doctors and nurses with this one. _As long as Cullen didn't make a surprise guest appearance as the hospital orderly._

Rose had informed her that Mr. March was a sucker for a pretty smile, and while Bella knew her natural facial expression was more of a sulky pout, she was sure to flash both rows of teeth as she opened the door. "You must be Carlisle," she grinned. "So glad you could finally make it! I'm Bella Swan, your photographer."

"Hi Bella. I'm so sorry I'm late! There was an emergency at the hospital, so I couldn't get off my shift in time. Thanks so much for waiting for me. Most photographers would just cancel and book another model." She eyed the bulging muscles in his arm as he shook her hand.

"Oh, it's no problem, really," said Bella. _It was totally worth the wait. _She was imagining Carlisle in a white doctor's coat… and nothing else. _Doctor, I think there's a problem with my heart rate. And my lady parts._

Her daydream was rudely interrupted by Edward. She knew they'd just made a truce, but she really wanted to slap him again. "Carlisle! Oh, hey man! Good to see you."

"Edward! This is a surprise. I didn't know you'd be working on this shoot." The two men bro-hugged each other.

"Wait, you guys know each other?" asked Bella. This could prove to be a huge spanner in the works.

"Yeah, we play tennis together at the club," explained Edward.

"Actually, Eddie here used to go to med school with me until he dropped out to pursue photography. Glad to see that's working out for you, dude!" added Carlisle.

Med school? Bella's mind raced. That certainly explained Edward's earlier comments about his family not supporting his career choices. As much as she loved being behind the camera, she'd be pretty pissed too if a child of hers gave up a lucrative medical career to try and find his feet in the uncertain world of photography. He was taking a huge gamble.

"Well, I'm only here on an internship," Edward confessed, humbly.

"And he's doing great," Alice butted in. _Too kind for her own good, as usual_. "We think Edward's going to have a bright future ahead of him, don't we Bella?"

"Er, yeah, sure," Bella lied. She'd never even seen any of Cullen's work. He'd been pestering her on every shoot to look at some of his photographs but she'd put him off, telling him she was too busy. She'd really had no interest in seeing his pictures, assuming he was just a rich kid with a nepotistic auntie playing at shutterbug. Now she was starting to realise he was having to fight for this career. _Maybe I should take him a bit more seriously, _she thought.

While Bella pondered Edward's predicament, Alice took charge of the situation. "Carlisle, there's a robe behind the screen over there. If you want to undress and slip into the robe, I'll start on your hair and make up. My name's Alice, by the way!"

"OK, thanks Alice," Carlisle returned Alice's infectious smile and headed over to the screen.

Edward came over to talk to me. "Bella, I know we've just made nice, so I don't want to piss you off again – but do you think it would be okay if I sit this one out? I mean, Carlisle and I know each other pretty well. It might be… weird if he has to strip off and pose naked in front of me. I don't want to my presence to make him feel uncomfortable. What do you think?"

_I think it's fucking perfect_, thought Bella. "Oh, yeah, that's fine… I guess." She punched the air internally.

"Great, thanks for understanding," he grinned. "I'll make it up to you on the next shoot, I promise."

"Sure," she replied, as she watched him get ready to leave, making sure he remembered to pick up _all _his belongings this time. "Oh, and Edward?"

"Yeah?" he called back, as he started out the door.

"Bring some of your photos with you next time – I'd really like to see them."

He beamed, in what even Bella had to admit was a totally endearing way. "Absolutely! See you next time!"

oOo

Bella didn't know if it was Edward's absence, or Alice deciding to stick around for longer than strictly required, or just Carlisle's exuberant personality, but this photo shoot was more fun than the last two put together.

As Easter fell in March next year, Carlisle was reclining on a patch of fake grass with a giant chocolate egg protecting his modesty. He was surrounded by fluffy bunnies and yellow chicks, and, thanks to a brainwave of Alice's, his buff naked body was covered in streaks of chocolate body paint, which both girls had thoroughly enjoyed painting on.

It wasn't long before the three of them were in absolute hysterics. It was Bella who had set them all off. She had noticed Alice was trying to stifle a fit of giggles while they were setting up, and Carlisle had a completely bemused look on his face but was trying to stay professional. The last thing a model would dream of doing was criticise a photographer's artistic direction. It was professional suicide. But there was no denying it – the whole thing was completely ridiculous. So Bella decided to break the tension: "I'm not sure how Jesus would feel about our representation of the celebration of his rising again, but I'm sure _Eclipse magazine_ readers will love it."

It all went downhill from there. Carlisle kept the laughter going by cracking jokes between poses. "Be honest, ladies. What do you find sexier – me, or the chocolate?" Managing to finally get himself together, Carlisle was able to keep a straight face for a couple of usable shots. But he soon had the girls in hysterics again when he started eating the chocolate body paint. "Oooh, this stuff is gooood!" he exclaimed, licking his fingers. "Bella, Alice – get your asses over here. You _have_ to try this. Come on!" He beckoned them over with chocolate-covered fingers. How could they resist an offer like that?

Alice got there first and tentatively dipped a finger in some of the body paint on the model's arm. "No, no, no, no, no, no! That's not how you eat it, woman! You have to lick it – off _moi_." Carlisle pulled his arms back and brandished his chocolate-covered chest to the girls, with a stupid look on his face. They collapsed into fits of giggles again, caught each other's eye and shrugged. _Ah, what the hell?_ Bella and Alice both bent down at the same time to lick Carlisle's chest and bashed heads. "Ow!" they both squealed, still laughing hysterically.

"Now, now ladies. No need to fight over me," joked Carlisle, laughing along with them. "Form an orderly queue."

"He's all yours, Bella," said Alice, sitting back and rubbing her sore head. "I'm on a diet, anyway."

"Come on Bella, what are you waiting for? Taste me." Carlisle fixed his bright blue eyes on Bella and raised an eyebrow.

Feeling the laughter fade and a sudden shift in the mood, Bella crawled towards Carlisle on all fours. She noticed the look of mirth in his blue eyes had been replaced with something else. Suddenly this didn't feel funny any more.

She leaned forward and lowered her head towards his brown, glistening chest and slowly extended her tongue. She chose her spot carefully, taking a long, gentle lick over Carlisle's nipple and up over his well-defined pectoral muscle. Bella raised her head languorously until her eyes were level with Carlisle's. "Mmmmm," she purred. "Delicious."

* * *

**A/N: Mmm-mmm! Anyone else feeling a little hungry now? If you like Bella/Carlisle, please check out my one-shot 'Breathless'. Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks to all the new story followers - I'm so glad to see people are enjoying this story. Things are about to get pretty 'hot' between Bella and Carlisle in this chapter. Please read & review!**

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Mr. March (cont'd)**

Bella could tell by the look in Carlisle's eyes she had him hooked. But with Alice in the room, this was going no further. She couldn't just ask Alice to leave – that would be too obvious. _What to do, what to do?_

As she wracked her brains, her eyes were drawn again to Carlisle's chocolate-covered body. Let's be honest, that piece of sweet-tasting hotness was hard to ignore. A light bulb clicked on in Bella's brain.

"So, Carlisle… I've got the shot I need. My apartment's just upstairs – you can use the shower before you head off if you want."

"Aww, what? You're not going to lick me clean?" he pouted. Bella laughed; the humour was restored to the situation.

"Tempting… but I'll pass. I'm cooking Italian tonight – don't want to spoil my appetite." She patted her stomach.

"Okay, that's fair enough. I _love _Italian food."

"Oh really?" asked Bella, innocently. _Thanks Rosalie!_ "Well, you're more than welcome to stay for a bite after your shower. I'm making pasta arrabbiata - Nonna Isabella's secret recipe…" she added, temptingly. The grandmother she was named for wasn't actually Italian, but Carlisle didn't have to know that.

"Sure, that sounds great – if it's not too much trouble for you."

"Not at all. I always make too much anyway. Alice, do you want to join us?" She looked at her friend with her best 'don't-even-think-about-saying-yes' face.

"Oh, I'd love to, Bells, but I have, uh, another make-up job to go to, remember?" Bella cringed – Alice was such a terrible liar. Luckily, Carlisle didn't seem to notice. Either that or he was just glad of the lie…

"Right, yeah. I remember you saying now. That's a shame."

"Sorry," Alice shrugged. "Hey, why don't you take Carlisle upstairs to get cleaned up and I'll lock up down here?"

"Thanks Alice, you're a star," said Bella, fishing the studio keys out of her pocket and throwing them over to her friend. "Okay, Chocolate Boy – grab your robe and I'll show you upstairs."

"Yes ma'am," Carlisle did a mock salute and jumped up to fetch his robe, giving Bella and Alice the perfect view of his tight butt as he did so.

"Mmm-mmm," said Alice, under her breath. "That is some hot chocolate, right there."

oOo

Bella smiled to herself as she chopped up the red chillies for her arrabbiata sauce. Right now, there was a hot, naked male model washing himself in _her_ shower – and there was zero chance of Cock-blocker Cullen interrupting them. She could feel herself getting aroused at the thought of what was to come. After two close encounters, she felt tightly wound like a coiled spring. She was getting desperate for some real action.

She'd been tempted to offer to scrub Carlisle's back. Following their heated moment in the studio, Bella had an inkling he wouldn't protest. But she lost her nerve at the last minute and set about preparing dinner instead. There was no rush. They had all evening… and all night.

Suddenly, the phone rang, interrupting Bella's line of thought. She put down the chopping knife, wiped her hands on a dish cloth and picked up the cordless phone. "Hello?"

"Is it true he's in your apartment?" It was Rosalie.

"Wow, good news travels fast," laughed Bella. "Alice has such a big mouth. Anyway, if you know he's here, why are you calling? You could have been interrupting something."

"Alice told me you were cooking dinner. I figured I'd have time to give you a quick good luck call."

"A text message would have sufficed, Rose." Bella could see a blond figure approaching from the corner of her eye. For a split second, she thought it was Mike. She shook her head to dispel the vision. _Who am I kidding?_ she thought. _Mike never looked that good in a bath towel._

"Er, look Rose, I've gotta go. I'll call you later, okay?" Bella pressed the hang up button on the phone as Rosalie was midway through wishing her good luck. She turned to her guest and flashed a smile. "Good shower?" Carlisle's wet hair was slicked back and he was wrapped in one of her pink bath towels.

"Yes, thank you. I'm not sure pink is my colour, though. What do you think?" He did a little twirl, giving Bella a 360-degree view of his gorgeous physique.

"Oh, you are workin' it, girlfriend," Bella joked. "So what, you had so much fun on the photo shoot that you didn't want to get dressed again?"

"Yeah, I'm considering converting to naturism," he deadpanned. "Actually, I just left my clothes downstairs in the studio."

"Wait here, I'll run down and get them for you." _And the award for The Sentence I Should Not Have Said Today goes to…_

"It's all right, don't bother. I can see you're in the middle of cooking. And besides…" he paused, taking a step closer towards Bella. "I kind of like being naked around you."

Bella froze. She felt like she was at the top of a rollercoaster ride, about to fly down the steep drop. This was it. It was really happening.

Carlisle moved closer still, reached his hands out to slip around Bella's small waist and pull her towards him. He bent his head down and lightly placed his lips upon hers, tentatively giving her a butterfly-soft kiss, as if to see how she would react.

She responded by kissing him back more passionately, parting her lips to allow his tongue to dance with hers. It felt so good. After years with Mike, their once ardent kisses had deteriorated to perfunctory pecks on the lips. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt something as luxurious and sensual as someone else's tongue in her mouth.

Bella moaned and slid her hands around Carlisle's waist, immediately moving them down to his bath towel-clad butt and squeezing hard. She pulled him closer and could feel his excitement pressing against her, begging for attention. Suddenly, she felt the material loosen under her fingers – Carlisle had untied the towel at the front. Bella let go her grip and the bath sheet dropped to the kitchen floor. She hungrily replaced her hands on the smooth, bare skin of Carlisle's ass, sliding them round his narrow hips to feel the hardness that had been nudging into her so insistently.

Carlisle groaned into Bella's mouth as she began to stroke and pull. His own hands moved to the buttons of her shirt, which he started to swiftly undo, pausing to cup and squeeze the swell of her breast as he did so.

Suddenly, he stopped what he was doing and broke away from the kiss. Bella opened her eyes and saw Carlisle's eyebrows drawn together in a look of concern. "What- what's wrong?" she asked, letting him go.

"I- I don't know. It feels… hot. Like, really hot." Bella noticed Carlisle's face was starting to turn a strange shade of red. He looked down and she followed his gaze, to where his hands were cupped protectively over his junk. "Holy shit, it's burning! Bella, what the hell have you done to me?"

"I- I- Nothing!" What on earth was happening? She looked around the kitchen in horror.

Her eyes landed on the chopping board.

_Red chillies. _

"Oh my god, Carlisle! I was chopping chillies. I didn't wash my hands. Oh crap, I'm so sorry!"

"Ice! I need ice!" he begged, tears now streaming down his eyes. Bella rushed over to the freezer and pulled out a bag of frozen peas, thrusting them in to Carlisle's hands. He took them gratefully and shoved it over his burning crotch.

"You- you should probably take another shower to try and wash it off. Oh Carlisle, I cannot tell you how sorry I am!" Carlisle nodded and limped off, crablike, to the bathroom, stopping to scoop up his discarded bath towel on the way.

"I give up," said Bella to herself, when Carlisle was out of earshot. "I totally give up."

She picked up her spare set of keys to the studio and headed downstairs to fetch Carlisle's clothes. _Talk about a recipe for disaster._

* * *

**A/N: Poor Bella! (Or should that be 'poor Carlisle'!) Is this girl ever gonna get lucky? **


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: I can't thank everyone enough for following & reviewing this story. I'm almost at 100 followers, which is more than I ever could have imagined! I would love it if you could spread the word to help me reach that milestone. :)**

**Thanks to Prillylove25 for the Scotch Bonnet story, which I have mentioned in this chapter. And ****_merci_**** to lmou84 for my first review ****_en francais_**** - it has made me feel very continental! _Oh la la!_**

**It might be a good time to mention that I am writing in UK English, so you may notice a few extra U's in some of the words and the odd British phrase slipping in! **

**Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight (even if she is "over it").**

* * *

**Chapter 8 - Spartans**

"Well, you know what they say, Bella," giggled Rosalie. "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" She doubled over with hysterics, while Alice choked on her glass of white wine, tears streaming down her face.

After her disastrous evening with Carlisle, Bella had felt it was time to call an emergency meeting with her friends. Rose had gotten tickets to the opening of a new bar downtown, so the girls were now getting ready round at Bella's apartment, where Rose and Alice were taking great delight in her recent misfortune.

"You guys, this is not funny!" scolded Bella. "The poor guy could be scarred for life!" She recalled the look of agony and shame on Carlisle's face as he'd left her apartment to return back to the hospital where he was interning to get his chilli-charred parts treated.

"Bella, he'll be fine," reassured Rosalie. "The same thing happened to a guy I know, but that was a scotch bonnet. Sure, he had to go to the ER, but there was no lasting damage done. Trust me, I should know…" She winked, sipping her vodka and tonic.

"Come on, Bells, you can't give up now," urged Alice. "All of the models so far have been really into you – you've just been unlucky. And at least you've got a massage and a kiss out of it. That's more action than your love life has seen in months."

"Gee, thanks for reminding me, Alice." Bella downed the rest of her drink in frustration. The girls were not going to let her give up on this.

Bella couldn't stay mad at her friends for long, though. She was really enjoying getting ready for a night out with them. She couldn't remember the last time they'd done this – certainly not since before she moved in with Mike. It was like old times. Plus, who wouldn't want Alice as their own personal stylist? If Bella had been left to her own devices she'd be going out in her usual skinny jeans and a t-shirt. Instead, Alice had picked out a stunning strapless mini-dress in her favourite shade of blue. She admired herself in the mirror – she was looking pretty damn hot, if she did say so herself.

The girls hailed a taxi and sped downtown to the new bar, _Spartans_. After stepping out of the cab, Rose dragged them straight to the front of the long line and flashed a flirtatious smile at the doormen. "Rosalie Hale, _Eclipse_ magazine." The bigger of the two bouncers checked his list and ushered the three of them inside (failing to lift his eyes from Rose's spectacular cleavage the whole time, Bella noted).

The bar was already packed with a mixed crowd of media darlings, hipsters, rich young socialites and Z-list celebrities. Bella pulled a face at Alice behind Rosalie's back, as she led them to an empty table with a 'Reserved' sign on it. This wasn't really their scene. Still, if there were free drinks and good company, they couldn't really complain. Rose quickly checked no one was looking, before slipping the small 'Reserved' placard into her handbag. "Rosalie!" exclaimed Alice, shocked but not surprised at her friend's action.

Rose smiled, mischievously, and beckoned over a waitress carrying a tray full of champagne flutes. "What, you think there are people here more important than us?" Bella and Alice laughed, sat down, and grabbed themselves a drink. "Mmm," said Rosalie. "This stuff always tastes better when it's free." The girls clinked their glasses in a toast. "To Bella getting her man!"

Bella smiled and shook her head. The bubbles from the champagne, coupled with the pre-party drinks at her apartment, had started to go to her head, causing the despair she felt after her three failed attempts to dissipate. She was strong, she was sexy… and she was starting to get pretty drunk. "If at first you don't succeed..." she said, raising her glass. "Try, try again!" the girls chimed in.

Alice abruptly paused her glass mid-sip, her eyes focusing on something in the distance behind Bella. "Hey, isn't that… Edward?" She nodded her head in the direction of the DJ booth. "Over there in the blue shirt."

"Edward? As in Esme's cock-blocking nephew?" ask Rosalie. Alice nodded, laughing. "Wait – you guys didn't tell me he was _cute_!"

"That's because he's not!" said Bella, craning her neck round to try and spot her assistant.

"I don't know, Bella. He scrubs up pretty well," said Alice, who much to Bella's horror was waving and trying to catch Edward's attention. She had to see enough of the guy at work; she didn't want him pestering her on a night out as well.

Bella finally spotted Edward, just as he retuned Alice's wave and started to walk over to their table. While she hated to admit it, her friend wasn't wrong. Edward was actually looking all right. _Okay, maybe a bit more than 'all right.'_ Gone was the shabby, old baseball cap and dorky retro t-shirts that he wore every day to the studio. Instead, Edward was dressed in a crisp, pale blue shirt, which contrasted beautifully with the unusual bronze colour of his tousled hair. As he approached, he adjusted his black-framed glasses – a gesture, Bella thought, that made him appear a little nervous.

"Bella, Alice, this is a nice surprise! I didn't know you ladies would be here tonight," Edward said, leaning in to give Alice a peck on the cheek.

_Well, you pop up everywhere else I don't want you to be, so why not here as well_, thought Bella, politely offering her own cheek for a 'hello' kiss. "Rose here had free tickets. She works with your Aunt Esme," she explained, introducing Edward and Rosalie. "What brings you here, anyway? I didn't think this would be your kind of place. Don't your kind live in coffee shops and comic book stores?" She ignored the shocked look Alice was giving her.

"You got me," said Edward, holding up his hands in mock surrender. He lowered his voice and leaned close to Bella's ear. "But that's just a cover for my secret double life as an international millionaire playboy." _Damn, he smelled good! _"Shh, don't tell anyone." Bella laughed, despite herself. This guy had an annoying way of making her smile when she didn't want to.

"No, seriously," said Edward, "an old friend of mine is one of the co-owners here. I'm just here to support him." _Tennis clubs, bar owners, a magazine editor for an aunt – you do move in the right circles, don't you Edward?_ thought Bella. She couldn't quite figure this guy out. He certainly wasn't like any of the rich kids she'd met before.

"There you are, Edward! I go to get us a couple of drinks and you do a runner on me." A tall, pretty girl with caramel-coloured skin and short, black hair handed Edward a bottle of beer. "Although I can see you've upgraded to some much better company. Hi, I'm Leah, by the way." She smiled at the girls, warm and genuine.

"Leah, this is Rosalie and Alice, and this is Bella Swan – the photographer I'm interning with." Edward gently placed his hand on Bella's naked shoulder as he introduced her. She felt the patch of skin underneath suddenly become very hot. _It must be the champagne_, she told herself.

"So this is the famous Bella!" grinned Leah. "This guy does _not_ stop talking about you. It's so nice to finally put a face to the name."

Bella smiled awkwardly. _Great, _she thought_. Edward has probably been filling his girlfriend with stories about what a total bitch-trog from hell I am. _

Bella's thoughts were interrupted by Alice grabbing her arm. "Oh my god, Bells. Look who it is!" she squealed. "Only Mr. January himself. And he's coming this way!"

* * *

**A/N: Awk-ward! Please review if you enjoyed. :)**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks again for all new follows & reviews! This may be the last chapter for a little while as I have some RL stuff coming up, so hope it will keep you going. Please R & R - reviews will get teasers!**

**Mr. April will make an appearance in the next chapter. Who do you think it will be?**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Spartans (cont'd)**

"Ladies!" called Emmett, swaggering over to their table. "You just can't keep away from me, can you?" Bella managed a weak smile as Emmett scooped her up in a vice-like hug. She could feel her cheeks blushing red at the memory of their last encounter, no doubt clashing horribly with the blue of her dress.

"Emmett, hey. Um, good to see you here." _Not._

This was beyond awkward. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Alice and Edward knowingly raising their eyebrows at each other. When he'd arrived at the studio for his second shoot, Edward had wasted no time telling Alice all about her 'hilarious' brush with Little Mr. January. Of course, Bella had already regaled her best friend with all the cringe-worthy details, but that didn't stop Alice having a good old chuckle about it with Edward. _The little pixie traitor._

"Hey Alice," said Emmett, crushing her in another bear hug. "And, er, Edmund, isn't it?" he asked, holding his hand out in greeting.

"It's Ed_ward_, actually. And I'm Rosalie Hale. We spoke on the phone the other day?" Rose had jumped up from her seat and was currently thrusting her impressive cleavage in Emmett's face. Bella didn't think she'd ever seen anyone move that fast.

"Oh _hey_, Rosalie! Wow, it's really great to put a face to the voice. Especially when it's such a beautiful one." Rose smiled and lowered her eyes demurely at the compliment, in stark contrast to the shameless way she reached out to place her hand on Emmett's bulging bicep.

Bella had to do a double-take. _Was Rose actually flirting with the guy she'd failed to cop off with just days earlier? _

"Oh, stop!" giggled Rose, giving Emmett's big arm a squeeze. "Bella told me you looked good naked but she didn't tell me how hot you looked with your clothes _on_."

_She was! _And Emmett was lapping it up by the look of things.

"I need another drink," said Bella to no one in particular, knocking back her glass of champagne and getting up from the table. She walked past a dozen waiters carrying trays of free drinks and headed straight to the bar. After three disastrous attempts at getting laid, she wasn't quite ready to sit by and watch Rosalie succeed exactly where she'd failed. _At least not without copious amounts of alcohol to help her get through it. _

She reached the bar and tried in vain to get the barman's attention. _Ugh, great_, thought Bella. _Just what I need – to become completely invisible when I'm in desperate need of a drink. _She stood up on tiptoes and leaned onto the bar, wishing she'd worn her new miracle-boost bra. _Or naturally had a killer cleavage like Rosalie, who probably had Mr. January's face buried in it right about now._

"Could I get a Cosmopolitan, please?" asked a male voice to the right of her. _What?! There was no one there a second ago and now he was getting served before her?_ Already fuming, Bella turned around, ready to unleash her rage.

It was Edward.

"Didn't Leah just get you a beer?" she asked, crossly.

"She did. This is for you," he said, nodding at the cocktail that the bartender was making. "You look like you need a drink. Is everything okay?"

Bella sighed. She wasn't about to tell Edward what was going on. He'd already caught her in the act with Mr. February – the last thing she wanted him to know was that she'd been interested in Emmett as well. Edward had said he wouldn't tell his aunt about her and Riley, but she wasn't sure he would keep his mouth shut if he knew she was in the habit of seducing her models.

"It's just… I…" she stammered, trying to think of something to say.

Edward was more intuitive than she gave him credit for. "Wait – does this have something to do with your friend Rosalie throwing herself at that guy?" Bella bit her lip. "Oh my god, it does, doesn't it? Don't tell me you _like_ that idiot! He's such a poser!"

"I- Well… No. No, I don't like him." Bella was surprised that what she thought was being told as a lie actually turned out to be the truth. Edward was right. Emmett was a bit of an idiot. She felt she owed Edward more of an explanation. "It's just… I thought he might like me, you know? He seemed pretty interested at the photo shoot. Then he takes one look at Rose and his eyes pop out on stalks and his tongue rolls out of his mouth like some cartoon character. It just made me feel pretty shitty, that's all."

"Bella, don't beat yourself up over it. The guy is clearly more interested in himself than any girl. Maybe Rosalie is into that sort of thing, but, personally, I think you've had a lucky escape." He took the Cosmo from the bartender and pushed it along the bar towards Bella. "Now drink up and forget about it."

"Thanks Edward." She gave a begrudging smile. Why did he have to be so nice when she just wanted to dislike him?

"Don't mention it, boss," he grinned. "So Leah and I are planning on getting out of here soon and heading on somewhere else. Why don't you and Alice come with us and leave the lovebirds to it?"

"Hmm, tempting," said Bella. "This place blows."

Edward laughed. "I won't tell my friend you said that about his bar. But only if you don't tell him I agreed with you!"

"Deal," said Bella, holding out her hand to shake on it. "C'mon, let's go and see if Alice is ready to leave, too."

They headed back to their friends, where Rosalie had somehow managed to wind up sitting on Emmett's lap. She was laughing ostentatiously as he whispered something in her ear. Bella noticed his hand resting gently on Rose's bare leg. _Jeez, these two weren't wasting any time getting acquainted!_

"Hey Bella," shouted Alice over the thumping music. "Leah was just telling me that her and Edward are going to a karaoke bar later. Do you want to come?"

"Karaoke, huh?" said Bella, looking at Edward with an arched eyebrow and a wry smile. "Well, aren't you just full of surprises tonight, Edward Cullen?"

"Hey, don't knock it until you've heard my amazing rendition of _Total Eclipse of the Heart_." Edward started singing badly into his beer bottle. "_Turrrrn around! Every now and then I get a little a little bit lonely and you're never coming round…_"

Bella and Alice looked at each other with bemused grins. Leah started egging him on with whoops and cheers.

"_Turrrrrn around! Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears…_" Edward jumped up onto the banquette and continued to croon in a mock falsetto: "_Turrrrn around, bright eyes! Every now and then I fall apart!"_

Alice, Bella and Leah had collapsed into fits of giggles at this stage, and even Rose and Emmett had stopped ogling each other for long enough to watch Edward's impromptu performance.

They weren't the only ones. A small crowd had gathered round their table and Bella spotted a security guard walking over with a grim expression on his face.

Through tears of laughter, she reached out to grab Edward's leg and bring him down from the banquette before he got into trouble. He was so caught up in his rendition of the song that Bella's action took him by surprise. He spun round and managed to lose his footing, knocking over the table full of drinks in the process and crash landing on Bella. She squealed.

His weight caused Bella to slip out of her seat and land on the sticky floor, where Edward slid down on top of her. As she fell, Bella heard an uncomfortably loud ripping sound. _Her dress!_

Undeterred by the fall, Edward lifted his head and continued to serenade Bella with a ridiculous grin on his face. "_Once upon a time I was falling in love, now I'm only falling apart. Nothing I can do, a total eclipse of the heeeaaarrrtt!_"

* * *

**Credit: 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' by Bonnie Tyler / written by Jim Steinman**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N - Thanks for your patience, dear readers, and 'hi' to all my new followers. I was delighted to discover that 'Calendar Guys' has been recommended by A Different Forest in their regular 'fic dive' so thanks to Tarbecca for that! I'm honoured!**

**A little warning to any hardcore E/B fans - you may wish to skim-read parts of this chapter! There is some very sweet E/B stuff coming up soon though, I promise. In the meantime, below is a little treat for any wolf girls reading.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 10 - Mr. April**

Bella bent down and adjusted the four wall-mounted showerheads so the jets of water met strategically just in front of Mr. April's nether regions. The water was cold, so as not to steam up her camera lens. But from this angle – Bella noted with some pleasure - the low temperature did not appear to have had any adverse effect on the model's manhood.

She was a woman on a mission. After Rosalie's "flirtation" with Mr. January, Bella was determined to prove to herself – and Rose – that she had what it takes to bag a man (not to mention her elusive post-Mike orgasm).

She was still pissed at her so-called friend over the other night in Spartans. Like she'd said to Edward, it wasn't so much that she even _liked_ Emmett – but Rosalie had broken the unspoken girl code by going after him.

The night had only got worse after Edward's little karaoke stunt. The fall had caused Bella's gorgeous blue dress to split from hem to waist, revealing her thong-clad ass to the world. She had been mortified. Leah had kindly offered Bella her long, black trench coat to cover her embarrassment, but it was too late, the night was officially over.

Edward couldn't apologise enough for the damage he'd done. Bella could tell how guilty he was feeling about the whole thing, and she knew she was partly to blame – after all, she was the one who had grabbed his leg – but she wanted someone to blame, and that someone was Edward. The others had been covered by the flying drinks Edward had knocked off the table, so Alice and Leah were looking almost as bedraggled and miserable as Bella. In fact, the only people who didn't seem bothered by the whole incident were Rosalie and Emmett, who used it as an excuse to "get out of their wet clothes" and wasted no time bundling into a cab back to Rose's apartment. Bella had sworn she could see the taxi windows steaming up as they sped away.

Bella had been ignoring Rose's calls ever since. She knew she'd forgive her eventually – she always did. Plus, they'd been friends too long to let a guy come between them. But she wanted to make her wallow in her guilt for a little bit longer.

So here she now was, in the bathroom of a five-star hotel suite, with the delectable Mr. April. Alice had already done her little disappearing act for the day, and Edward was a no-show – presumably too ashamed about his drunken behaviour at Spartans to show his face. And as Bella watched the model - Paul - rub down his naked body in the luxuriant shower, she was secretly glad she hadn't thrown in the towel just yet.

He was spine-tinglingly gorgeous. From his dark hair, to his caramel-coloured skin, to his washboard stomach, Bella was drinking him in like a tall glass of ice-cold water on a hot day. She'd always hated April showers – until now.

"That is looking fantastic, Paul," she said, encouragingly, as he lathered up some soap suds over his muscular chest. "Maybe you could turn around and look back at me over your shoulder…"

"Like this?" he asked, repositioning his body so Bella could see his peachy ass peeking out between the water jets.

"Oh, that's perfect, Paul!" _It was so perfect. _She wanted to take a bite.

Paul had an easy confidence about him, which shone through as he posed for Bella. He wasn't as arrogant as Emmett, or as shy as Riley, or as warm as Carlisle. But he had been blatantly flirting with Bella since he'd arrived and he had a smouldering look in his brown eyes that was drawing Bella in. She didn't have her usual advantage of Rosalie's interview information, so she was relying on her own feminine wiles this time. Bella wasn't really sure if she had any 'feminine wiles' (it would help if she knew what they even were) but when Paul had suggestively asked her at the start of the shoot if she wanted to join him in the shower, she knew it wouldn't be too difficult. Now, as he stared down the lens of her camera, she could feel a delightful tingling sensation between her legs.

It was time to go in for the kill.

Bella carefully put down her camera beside the sink and stepped into the massive shower on the pretense of readjusting the side jets again. As she bent down to move one of the showerheads, she "accidentally" let it spray up to drench her thin white t-shirt. _That should do the trick._

"Oops!" she laughed, in attempt to get Paul's attention. She felt like Austin Powers on his revolving bed. _Oops, I fell over! Oops, I fell over again! _She straightened up, looking down at her soaked t-shirt, which was now clinging to her conveniently bra-less breasts. "Oh my god, I'm such a klutz! I seem to have inadvertently started a wet t-shirt contest here…"

"Well, you've got my vote," quipped Paul, unashamedly staring at Bella's erect nipples peeking through the wet fabric. She looked up at him with a wicked smile, before walking back out of the shower and picking up her camera to take more photos.

Paul slipped back into his effortless poses, but Bella couldn't help notice his eyes now had an extra spark in them. She started to do some poses of her own, moving around with her camera so Paul would get the best possible view of her semi-exposed breasts. Her efforts weren't wasted. He squeezed some more shower gel into his hands and started to lather it over his body, slowly rubbing his hands over his chest and abs. As Bella moved in closer to take her pictures, Paul started to slide his hands lower down his body, in long, stroking movements. She looked up from the camera and directly into his eyes. He returned her gaze, as if challenging her, and continued to touch himself.

_Bingo._

Slowly, Bella put down her camera and covered it with a towel. Things were about to get very wet in here.

Batting away any lurking inhibitions, she stood in front of Paul and peeled off her sodden t-shirt, letting it drop to the floor with a satisfying splat. Paul uttered a lustful _oh-my-god_ and reached for the faucet to turn up the heat in anticipation of Bella joining him. She slipped off her jeans and panties and stepped eagerly into the shower, where she was greeted by Paul's welcoming embrace.

This was the first – and only - time Bella had been fully naked with another man since Mike. She could barely remember the first time she stripped off in front of him, but she was pretty sure it hadn't felt this good. As Paul wrapped his strong arms around her and pressed his wet, bare skin against hers, Bella thought she might die of happiness… or at least of desire.

He held Bella tight and kissed her forcefully, pushing his tongue into her mouth. Caught up in the moment, she bit his bottom lip and let out a moan of pleasure. She wasted no time dropping her hands from his waist to grab his pert butt and squeeze it hard. It felt just as good as she had imagined.

Breaking away from the kiss, Paul spun Bella round and pushed her up against the shower wall. The feel of her sensitive breasts squashed against the cold, black tiles, and Paul's hardness pressing between the cleft of her buttocks felt exhilarating. She cried out when Paul started kissing and biting the back of her neck and shoulders, and slipped his hand between her legs from behind. Mike had been the only guy ever to touch her like this, and as Paul's fingers expertly explored her, she realised how routine her foreplay with Mike had become, as if he was warming up an old car engine – a necessity rather than a pleasure.

Bella banished thoughts of the past and focused on the present – the electrifying, tantalising present. Paul's fingers were working deftly, already bringing her close to the edge. Bella felt light-headed and could feel herself breathing in the steam of the shower in deep, panting breaths. Waves of shuddering pleasure were starting to course through her body. She wanted to kiss Paul again, to feel his lips on hers as she peaked. She turned around…

And slipped.

* * *

**A/N: Please review! It makes me happy. :)**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 – Mr. April (cont'd)**

Bella opened her eyes and waited for her surroundings to come into focus. She was lying on a hard, cold surface and bright spotlights were glaring down on her. Judging by the feeling of cool air on her skin, she was also naked. A marching band seemed to be having a party in her head.

_Oh crap, it had finally happened. She'd been abducted by aliens._

"Bella? Bella, are you okay?" A bronzed Adonis loomed over her.

_Seriously cute aliens._

She tried to sit up, wincing in pain as she did so. Dizzy, she nearly fell back down again. The sexy naked alien reached out to support her. Memories flooded into her head just as the blood rushed out of it. Paul. The shower. The almost-orgasm. The fall. _Fuck my life. _

"What- what happened?" she asked, even though she had a fairly good idea.

"You slipped in the shower and hit your head pretty badly. It knocked you out cold. Do you want me to take you to a hospital?"

"No! No, I'll be fine," said Bella, hastily. The nearest hospital was where Carlisle worked. She could really do without _that_ awkward conversation. _So, Bella, how exactly did you hit your head? _"Thanks Paul, I'll be all right. Maybe you could help me pack up and call me a cab, though?"

"Sure, no problem." As Paul helped her get up and wrap herself in a towel, Bella couldn't help notice the accident had done nothing to dampen Paul's arousal. A wicked thought flashed across her mind. _Could they carry on where they'd left off?_ She brushed the idea away. _Jeez woman, you could have a serious concussion here!_

Bella slowly and carefully dried herself off and pulled on her panties and jeans. Her wet t-shirt was a write-off, so she threw it into a bag and pulled on her hoodie instead. Paul had donned a pair of white Calvin Kleins to help Bella pack up her equipment. She silently enjoyed watching him work, as she held some ice wrapped in a face cloth against her throbbing head. _At least I get this as a consolation prize_, she thought.

Once everything was packed up and both were fully dressed, Paul escorted Bella out of the hotel to her waiting taxi. To her surprise, he gave her a lingering goodbye kiss on the lips, not as brutal and passionate as earlier, but still sexy and with a hint of promise. "I hope we can work together again some time," he whispered in her ear.

Bella sighed contentedly as she sat back into the leather seats of the cab and looked out at the heavy rain pelting against the window. Yes, she'd abruptly ended their steamy make-out session by being a total klutz. Yes, her head felt like the cast of _Riverdance_ were living inside it. And yes, she had completely forgotten to give Paul her number. But she'd still managed to seduce him all by herself. No insider knowledge from Rosalie. No miracle makeover from Alice. Just Bella. She smiled, pleased with herself. Maybe life without Mike wasn't going to be so bad after all.

She rested her head against the car window and closed her eyes. She could feel the rhythmic patter of the rain lulling her to sleep. Wait, no! She needed to stay awake. She might have concussion. She didn't know why, but she knew that the one thing you shouldn't do after being concussed was fall asleep.

Bella let her mind wander back to earlier that day, to the feel of Paul's taut muscles, his hard kisses, his teasing fingers… That would keep her awake.

oOo

As the cab pulled up outside her apartment building, Bella noticed a bedraggled looking figure in a baseball cap huddled under the porch, trying unsuccessfully to shelter from the rain. _No, it couldn't be…_

She saw the figure take off his glasses, pull out the hem of his t-shirt from under his jacket and attempt to dry them. In doing so, he nearly dropped the big leather-bound folder he was clutching to his chest. _It was. Edward. What was he doing here? _

Bella quickly paid the taxi driver and ran over to the porch with her hood up, fumbling for her keys in her bag. She'd been wet enough for one day.

"Edward, hey," she said, as she unlocked the door. "Come on in." They bundled into the dry warmth of the apartment hallway and shook themselves off like a pair of dogs, laughing as they did so. "What are you doing here?" Bella asked.

"Waiting for you. Weren't we supposed to be shooting Mr. April today?" Edward removed his glasses again, which were now fogging up. Once again Bella was struck by the flecks of gold in his eyes.

"Yeah, didn't you get the message from Rosalie? The shoot was at the Midnight Sun Hotel." Edward just shook his head and looked confused. Bella was puzzled. She'd specifically asked Alice to ask Rose to give Edward directions. Maybe this would teach her for giving Rosalie the silent treatment. Earlier, Bella had been pleased when Edward didn't turn up. But now seeing the poor guy soaked to the skin, she felt really bad for him. "Wait, Edward, have you been waiting out here the whole time?"

"Er, pretty much. I went to get a coffee at some point. But I was worried you might turn up late and be mad at me if I wasn't there. Maybe even fire me. I would have called you but I don't have your number. I tried phoning Rosalie a bunch of times but she didn't pick up. Sorry." He smiled and shrugged. Bella felt awful. Did he really think she was that much of a bitch?

"No, Edward, I'm the one who should be apologising. I'm really sorry. I know how much this internship means to you and I wouldn't kick you off the project for no good reason. To be honest, when you didn't show up today, I thought you were probably just embarrassed about the other night at Spartans." Bella could feel herself grinning at the memory. She had been so pissed at Edward for ripping her dress, but she was starting to see the funny side, especially when she remembered Edward's awful singing.

"Oh _god_," Edward cringed, covering his face with his hands. "I'm never going to live this down, am I? Leah's been mercilessly reminding me of it at every opportunity. It's all her fault, anyway. She was the one making me do Jaeger bombs before you guys showed up. Honestly, that girl is hardcore. It barely touches the sides with her. But me? I'm such a lightweight! And I'm so, so sorry again about your dress, really. Can we just agree to forget the whole incident ever happened? Please?" He put his hands together in mock prayer and looked at Bella with puppy dog eyes. She laughed.

"Okay, on one condition. I'll forget you ever drunkenly murdered a Bonnie Tyler classic in front of a whole bar, if you forget you ever saw me flash my little white butt to the world."

He paused, as if considering her offer. "Sorry Bella, I don't think I'm gonna forget _that_ sight in a hurry. Deal's off."

"Pervert." She playfully punched him in the arm. "Oh my god, Edward, you're drenched! Come on up and I'll make us some coffee."

"Oh wow. Bella Swan just invited me back to her place for '_coffee_.'" He tried to suppress a smile as his fingers formed two air-quotes. "I am so in there."

"Edward, I may have started being nice to you, but don't push your luck," Bella jokingly scolded. She hated to admit it, but she kind of liked this new flirty side to her assistant.

* * *

**A/N: Hmm, Edward in Bella's apartment, eh? This should be interesting... Reviews will get teasers for the next chapter. Thanks for reading! **


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: I think this is my favourite chapter so far - I hope you guys like it too.**

**Amazingly I have been nominated for Fic of the Week at the Lemonde Stand (tehlemonadestand. net) - voting is open til Tuesday, so it would be great if you could drop by and cast your vote for Calendar Guys! *bats eyelids***

**I've also just set up a Twitter account, so if you would like to follow me, you can ****find me at popsicle99. **

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**EDWARD CULLEN IS SITTING IN MY APARTMENT IN HIS BOXER SHORTS.** **LOL! ;-)**

Bella pressed send on the text message to Alice. She found the whole situation so surreal and amusing that she had to tell someone. Poor Edward's jeans had been soaked in the rain, so he'd asked if he could take them off and dry them over Bella's radiator. It would have been rude to say 'no.' He was now sitting on her couch in his vintage Super-Man t-shirt and black boxers, cradling a mug of hot coffee.

His legs were long, lean and actually quite muscular, Bella had noticed. _Probably all those tennis matches with Dr. Carlisle. _She found herself rather enjoying the mental image of the two of them running round the court in their tennis whites.

For someone who usually seemed so dorky and awkward, Edward was surprisingly relaxed about the fact he was sitting around in his underwear. It was Bella – champion photographer and seducer of nude male models – who felt a little uncomfortable at the prospect of sitting next to him on her couch to look at the portfolio he had brought with him. She didn't know why.

She excused herself to change out of her own wet clothes and towel-dry her hair, then offered to make more coffee, as diversionary tactics. But eventually she had to bite the bullet and sit down next to Edward and his naked legs.

Edward opened his portfolio and started to flick through the pages of photos. They were made up of candid portraits of people taken around the city - a beautifully diverse range of ages, genders and ethnicities. They all had one thing in common. They were all smiling.

"The collection is called _Happiness_," explained Edward, as he leafed through the photographs. "I just go up to complete strangers on the street and ask them what makes them happy, or what their happiest memory was, then capture their expression as they tell me.

"This is Maggie. She's eighty-two years old," said Edward, pointing at a picture of a white-haired lady, her twinkling blue eyes almost lost beneath waves of laughter lines. "She told me how she first met her husband at a dance in the local town hall. He was a terrible dancer, but he made her laugh so much, she knew that night he was the man she would marry. He died three years ago, but as she was telling me that story, her face just lit up like she was seeing him again for the first time."

"She's beautiful," said Bella. "You've really captured her spirit, Edward."

He smiled, pleased at the compliment, and turned the page, showing a dark-skinned boy with a toothy white grin sitting on a red bicycle. "This little guy is called Ben. He said he was happiest when he was riding his new bike, that it made him feel like he was flying and nobody could catch him. That he was invincible." Bella looked at the pure glee beaming from Ben's eyes. She remembered when Charlie bought her a BMX for her sixth birthday, the feeling of absolute infinity as she freewheeled down the hill, the wind whipping at her hair. Edward had caught this feeling on film perfectly. She was impressed.

"This is Harry," said Edward, showing Bella the next photo. "Harry is living in sheltered accommodation at the moment. He's a heroin addict but he's trying to stay clean. He told me he doesn't remember much of anything, let alone many happy moments, but there was one memory that made him smile – when he found his dog, Axel. That's Axel there, curled around his feet. Cute dog."

"How can you remember everyone's names?" asked Bella.

"I feel I owe it to them to do that. They're all sharing a really special piece of their lives with me. The least I can do is know their names." Edward looked at Bella, a little too intensely for her liking. "Ah, here's a face you'll recognise." It was Leah, her pretty face split open in what looked like a loud and hearty laugh.

"Let me guess," said Bella, smirking. "She's remembering your awful karaoke from the other night?"

"Ha. Ha. Actually, I don't even know what she was laughing about here. I have hundreds of pictures of Leah like this. She's always cracking up about something. She makes a good test subject."

"She must be a fun person to be around," said Bella. "How long have you guys been dating?"

"Dating? Oh, no, we're just friends," explained Edward. "I'm not exactly Leah's type. We dated for a little while back in high school, nothing serious. I was her first – and last – boyfriend."

"You mean…?"

"Yes, Bella. I don't know what I did wrong, but I somehow turned her gay." Edward pulled a mock sad face and wiped away an imaginary tear. "She sure thought you were pretty cute though…"

"Shut _up_," said Bella, poking Edward in the ribs. He squirmed away from her, laughing. "Come on, I want to see more of your pictures."

Edward turned his attention back to his portfolio. Bella found herself engrossed in his subjects' stories, caught up in the passion with which Edward told them. She really hadn't expected him to be such a talented photographer. If she was being honest, she had half thought he was one of those spoilt rich kids playing at photography because they were too lazy to do a 'proper' job. But his photos had a magic about them, a vitality that couldn't be captured by just any old amateur. This guy was good.

All too soon, they reached the end of the photographs. Bella found herself feeling a little disappointed. She wanted more.

"This space here," said Edward, pointing to one of the blank pages at the back of his portfolio. "I'm saving this for your smile."

"You want to take my picture?" asked Bella, equally surprised and flattered.

"Uh-huh," nodded Edward. "But only when I can get you to smile."

"I smile," Bella protested.

"Yeah, you move the corners of your mouth up. But it's never a real smile. It never reaches your eyes. You're not really happy."

"What do you know about my happiness, Edward? You barely know me." She'd felt herself warming to Edward over the past couple of hours but now she was prickling again. _How dare he presume to know anything about her happiness?_

"Bella, I can tell from your work. The photos on your blog used to be so full of life. You always found the beauty in small things. That's what I love about them. More recently they seem lonely, wistful, like something's missing. I don't know what's changed, but there's a sadness that wasn't there before." He looked at her intently, waiting for her to respond.

Bella swallowed and looked away from his enquiring stare. She wasn't about to pour her heart out to her nosey assistant. _Was she?_

She found the words spill out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Maybe it was the look of empathy in Edward's golden eyes, or maybe it was the way he'd been so genuinely interested in the people in his photographs – but something suddenly made Bella want to confide in him, to tell him everything. She took a deep breath.

"I split up from my fiancé a few months ago. That's what changed."

"Bella, I'm sorry." Edward put a consoling hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be. You're not the one who starting screwing around with your personal assistant just nanoseconds after asking me to spend the rest of my life with you. He was my high school sweetheart, you know? I thought it was going to be forever. Pretty stupid, huh?" she laughed bitterly.

"At least he didn't turn out gay…" Edward gave a gentle smile.

"Somehow that would have been less painful, I think. We'd even sent out 'Save the Date' cards, for fuck's sake. Alice had helped me pick out the most beautiful wedding dress. I just couldn't wait to have all our friends and family around us, sharing our special day, sharing our love.

"My dad was so proud – he couldn't wait to walk me down the aisle, was already writing his speech. He's not one for public speaking, but he wanted to do it right, for me." Bella smiled weakly at the thought of her father. "That was the hardest, telling my dad it was over. He'd always thought Mike was such a stand-up guy, couldn't wait to have him for a son-in-law. They used to hang out together all the time, fishing, watching the game, sinking some beers. I think my dad's heart was broken just as much as mine when he found out Mike had been cheating on me."

Bella could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks as she dredged up the painful memories. She'd spent countless hours sobbing to Alice and Rosalie, picking over the tattered remnants of her relationship with Mike to try and discover where things had gone wrong. Her friends had been amazing, painstakingly putting Bella back together piece by shattered piece. But there was something cathartic about telling her story to someone new, someone who didn't already know the hurt she'd been through. Someone like Edward.

He reached his arms around Bella and pulled her into a gentle hug. She let her head rest against his chest, her tears dampening his cotton t-shirt. He didn't try to offer her consoling words. He just held her.

Bella let her tears flow, let herself be soothed by the steady beat of Edward's heart. "I didn't tell you the worst part," she said into his chest.

"What's that?" he asked, quietly, the two words brushing through her hair.

"I caught them. Mike and that slut Jessica." She was glad Edward couldn't see her face, as she flushed at the memory. "I'd called round to Mike's office with some samples of wedding cake for him to try. I'd thought it would be a nice surprise. He really loved cake. He clearly hadn't been expecting me. I walked in to find him bent over his desk, his pants round his ankles, with Jessica fucking him from behind with a bright pink strap-on."

Edward remained quiet. _I've probably shocked him into silence_, thought Bella, horrified. Maybe this was TMI.

She suddenly started to feel his chest shaking underneath her head, a choking sound coming from his throat. She sat up and pulled out of his embrace. "Edward?" she asked, her voice full of concern. He clamped a hand over his mouth, too late to cover his wide grin. _The little dork was laughing!_

"Edward!" she hurled a sofa cushion at him. "I'm so glad you find my heartbreak so fucking funny!"

"Oh god, Bella, I'm sorry!" he said, dodging the flying cushion. "I know I shouldn't be laughing, but you have to admit… a pink strap-on? Really? A fucking _pink_ strap-on?" Despite herself, Bella found his crooked smile infectious. She grinned. It _was_ ridiculous. She didn't know why she hadn't thought about it like this before. A reluctant giggle escaped her.

"That's better," said Edward, tenderly wiping away Bella's leftover tears. "You need to forget about this jerk and his pink dildo and start learning to smile again. I'll do anything I can to help you do that."

Bella managed a weak smile. "Thanks Edward, really."

A comfortable silence fell between them.

Only to be broken by Edward jumping up off the couch. "Oh shit, is that the time? Bella, I'm sorry, I've got to go. Family dinner. I'm gonna be so late, Mom is going to kill me! Thanks for looking at my photos!" He pulled on his jacket, grabbed his portfolio and bolted for the door.

"Erm, Edward?" Bella called after him. "Aren't you forgetting something?" He looked at her blankly, halfway out the door. "Your jeans?"

"Ah," he said, realisation dawning on him. "They would be useful." Bella took the jeans off the radiator and tossed them over to Edward, who hastily tried to pulled them on over his sneakers, tripping himself up in the process. Bella laughed. _Oh my god, this guy is more of a klutz than I am!_

oOo

Almost as soon as Edward left the apartment, Bella's phone rang. She looked at the screen. _Rosalie. _Bella sighed. Her little chat with Edward had left her feeling more willing to forgive and forget. She pressed 'Answer.' "Hey Rose."

"Bella! Please tell me you're not still mad at me! I am so, so sorry!" Typical Rosalie, thought Bella. Quick to make a mistake, but even quicker to issue a grovelling apology.

"It's okay, Rose. I was really pissed at you, but it's not like I was really interested in Emmett."

"Oh, really?" A pause. "In that case… would you mind if I went on a second date with him? I actually really, really like this guy." Bella could feel her mouth drop open in shock. _Was Rosalie for real?_ She sighed. What was the point in objecting? Rose liked her men like subway trains – fast and frequent. If she wanted another date with Emmett she must be pretty serious about him.

"Fine. Go for it. I'm happy for you, Rose." Bella could hear her friend whispering 'she said yes' to someone at the other end of the line. "Wait a minute. Rose, is Emmett there with you now? You said _second _date!"

"Well, _technically _it would be a second date. I mean, he hasn't left my apartment since the other night, so we're still on our first." Rose giggled.

"Oh my god, Rose! You are unbelievable!" Bella laughed and rolled her eyes. She couldn't stay mad at her friend for long.

"So anyway, enough about me. How did it go with Paul? Give me all the deets! Did you notice how Cock-blocker Cullen was nowhere to be seen?" Bella could almost hear the smugness of Rosalie's grin down the phone line.

"You didn't pass on the message about the hotel." It was a statement, not a question. "Rose, you know the poor guy spent hours freezing in the rain outside the studio waiting for me to turn up?"

"Oh come on, Bella, the little dweeb deserved it! Maybe he'll quit and do us all a favour."

"Rosalie, that's not fair. He's lucky he didn't catch hypothermia. And I don't think Aunt Esme would be pleased to find out her darling nephew got punked by you."

"Ugh, whatevs. So come on Bells, tell me what happened with Paul!"

"Oh, it was a knock-out," deadpanned Bella, rubbing her still-sore head at the memory.

"I knew it!" squealed Rosalie. "Paul and I go way back. Now, don't be mad, Bella, but I _may_ have given him a little push in the right direction."

"What are you talking about, Rose?" asked Bella, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.

"Well, after the telephone interview I let Paul know that you might be, you know, _interested_ in a little optional extra after the shoot. Don't worry, Paul's cool. I knew he'd be up for it. Consider it an apology for leaving with Emmett the other night."

"You told him I wanted to sleep with him? Rose! How could you?" Bella was furious.

"What? It worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah, only until I slipped in the shower and knocked myself out! And now I find out I was only there in the first place because you told Paul I'd be an easy lay! Thanks for nothing, Rose!" Bella hung up the phone, fuming. She didn't know what made her more angry – the fact that Rose had pimped her out like some kind of cheap hooker or that she hadn't seduced Paul with her own merits. Well, she'd show her friend she could do this without her – and land a guy hotter than Mr. January in the process.

_Game on, Rosalie. Game on._

* * *

**A/N: Thoughts, people? Let me know in in a review! :) And don't forget to vote for Calendar Guys at tehlemonadestand. net!**


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: *Waves to new followers* I've had over 100 new followers in the past week, which is fantastic but also slightly terrifying! Thanks to everyone who has added Calendar Guys to their read list and everyone who has reviewed.**

**I thought I would give you all a little treat to celebrate my nomination for The Lemonade Stand's Fic of the Week and to thank all of you who voted. So who's up for a big slice of lemon drizzle cake, washed down with a shot of Limoncello? Normal service will resume after this short burst of citrus.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Bella arched her back under the hot studio lights as Paul raked his fingers down her inner thighs and pushed her knees apart, with a wolfish grin on his face. He lowered his head down between her legs and kissed her. His hot tongue contrasted deliciously with the coolness of his breath, sending shivers down Bella's spine. She writhed in pleasure, gripping him by his dark hair to pull him closer into her.

As she lay back blissfully on the rose petal-covered bed, Riley leaned in to kiss her deeply, his lips trailing softly down her neck before closing wetly around her left breast. Bella moaned as she felt his tongue flickering around her nipple, his finger mirroring the motion on her other side. Her senses were on fire. Two gorgeous guys licking the most sensitive parts of her body. It was almost too much to take.

"Yes Bella, that looks great. You're so fucking beautiful." Edward stood behind the camera, capturing every frame of her pleasure on film. She stared down the lens at him, her eyes heavy-lidded with lust, and cried out as Paul quickened the pace with his tongue and slipped his fingers inside of her. She was physically aching for more.

As if reading her mind, Bella suddenly felt a pair of strong arms around her back, pulling her up from the bed and setting her down onto Carlisle's naked lap. She kissed him passionately, raising herself up on her knees and sliding back down onto his hardness. She groaned into his mouth, relishing the feeling of him filling her. _God, this feels so damn good._ She'd almost forgotten. As she rocked herself up and down his length, two muscular arms appeared around her waist from behind. Emmett.

_What about Rosalie?_ thought Bella. _Fuck Rosalie, you saw him first_, said the vampy voice inside her head, as Emmett moved his big hands up to graze her nipples, his erection rubbing hot and hard against her back. She broke away from the kiss with Carlisle, closed her eyes and threw her head back against Emmett's muscular chest, giving his hands the freedom to explore her body.

As Edward's camera clicked away to the rhythm of her racing heart, Bella could feel herself getting near to climax. Judging by Carlisle's ragged breaths, he was close as well. She opened her eyes, hungry to see him come.

She was no longer sitting astride Carlisle. Instead of blond hair, there was bronze; instead of blue eyes, golden. She gasped.

_Edward._

oOo

Bella's eyes flew open and she sat bolt upright in bed, panting to catch her breath. _What the fuck just happened?_

She was caught up in a tangle of emotions – lust, guilt, pleasure, shame, most of all confusion. She'd had some pretty weird sex dreams before, but this was the first time her subconscious had planted her slap-bang onto Edward Cullen's dick. _It didn't mean anything_, she told herself.

It wouldn't be the first time she'd dreamt of making out with someone really inappropriate – her biology teacher Mr. Molina, Mike's best friend Tyler, heck, even Rosalie one occasion. Clearly, Edward was just on her mind because she'd spent yesterday afternoon with him_. In his boxer shorts, _the little devil on her shoulder added. She shook her head. _It didn't mean anything._

Sure, she could admit she'd seen a sweeter, slightly less irritating side of Edward yesterday. Caring, even. Cute, at a push. But that didn't change the fact he was a still a total dork with an annoying habit of cock-blocking her from the _real_ men. He was _not_ sex fantasy material.

Bella reached over to her bedside locker and pulled out her vibrator, an old birthday present from Rose. She snuggled back under the covers and tried desperately to cling on to the rapidly fading remnants of her dream.

"It _still_ doesn't mean anything," she muttered to herself, as she fumbled with the 'on' switch.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter - I'm planning to post more over the next day or two. Mr. May is on his way! Please review! :)**


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: I feel like I'm always thanking people for follows and reviews, but truly THANK YOU! I love reading what you think of the story.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight characters. I just take their clothes off.**

* * *

**Chapter 14 - Mr. May**

"Come on Bella, Rosalie was only trying to help," pleaded Alice. She hated that her two best friends weren't speaking again and was trying to convince Bella to give Rose another chance.

"It's insulting, Alice! What makes her think I need her help? I can do this perfectly well on my own." Two days after Bella discovered Rosalie had basically asked Paul to give her a sympathy screw and she was still fuming. Alice had to keep telling her to be careful as she angrily set up her photography equipment for the Mr. May shoot.

"Really, Bella? You have to admit your strike rate hasn't been that hot so far. Rose was just giving you a helping hand."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alice," Bella replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Look Bella, you know we only want you to be happy. I know Rosalie thinks sex is the best medicine, but maybe you should consider calling the whole thing off. I'm not sure a quick fuck with a total stranger is going to fix everything. You've been so hurt, Bells. Maybe you should think about dating again. Someone who deserves and respects you." Alice reached out to give Bella's arm a sympathetic rub.

"No, Alice, I told you – I'm not ready for another relationship! Just because you and Rose think I can't do this-" Bella shouted.

"Do what?" It was Edward, arriving at the studio with a round of coffees. He took in Bella's aggressive stance, Alice's defensive body language. "What's going on? Is everything okay with you guys?"

"Everything's fine," said Bella through gritted teeth, turning her back on Alice and taking her vanilla latte from Edward. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Now Alice was pissing her off almost as much as Rosalie. She knew the pair of them had lost faith in her ability to land one of the calendar guys and she was determined to prove them both wrong. But she needed to chill out if she didn't want to scare off Mr. May with her scowl.

Frustrated, Bella took a sip of coffee and noticed a smiley face scrawled under her name on the cup. Her mind raced back to the other day, to Edward sitting pant-less on her couch, wiping away her tears. She wondered if he'd asked the barista to draw this. She felt her anger dissipate and allowed herself a secret little smile. Bella looked up to see Edward watching her. She raised her coffee cup to him in thanks and he grinned.

One look at Edward's crooked smile and her dream came back to her in a flash. She blushed and quickly turned away, terrified that Edward would be able to see what she was thinking.

The studio door buzzed. Bella looked at her watch. Mr. May was early. She opened the door to find, instead of a cute male model, a delivery girl holding a huge bouquet of flowers and an ornately wrapped package. "Delivery for Bella Swan?" Gobsmacked, Bella signed for the gifts and brought them inside. A thought crossed her mind. _Could these be from Paul? _He had said that he wanted to see her again. He could have easily gotten the studio address from _Eclipse _magazine or his agency. Maybe his attentions at the hotel weren't just prompted by Rosalie. Maybe he really did like Bella.

Alice and Edward looked just as surprised as she was. "Wow, somebody's popular!" said Edward.

"Oh, they're beautiful!" squealed Alice, her argument with Bella quickly forgotten in the face of some pretty pink flowers. "Quick! Open the card and see who your secret admirer is!"

Bella ripped open the tiny envelope, her heart racing. Mike had never brought her flowers in the whole time they had been dating. "Guys only buy flowers if they're cheating on you," he'd always said. _Well, he never even bought me flowers then_, thought Bella.

She scanned the words on the little card and her face fell.

**BELLA, I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! LOVE YOU! ROSE XOXO**

"They're from Rosalie," she told the others, throwing the bouquet to one side and marching off. Alice opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again abruptly. She knew there was no point flogging a dead horse.

Edward looked puzzled at Bella's reaction. "Did I miss something?"

"Don't ask," muttered Alice, picking up the flowers and looking around the studio for something to put them in.

"O-kay," said Edward to himself, with a raise of his eyebrows. "Oh, hey Bella, she sent you a gift as well. Are you going to open it?"

"You open it," Bella called dismissively across the studio.

"All right," shrugged Edward, starting to untie the elaborate ribbons.

"I'll take that, thank you!" said Alice, snatching the present from Edward's hands. "Rosalie has a reputation for giving us rather, um, _unusual_ gifts. I wouldn't want you to get a nasty surprise, Edward."

"What do you mean 'unusual'?" said Edward, intrigued.

"Let's just say, as the resident 'Sexpert' at _Eclipse_ magazine, Rose gets sent a lot of freebies that she likes to share with us." Alice winked, ripping open the hot pink wrapping paper to reveal a small box. She opened the lid and peeked inside, apprehensive at what she might find. "Oh. This isn't too bad." She pulled out a pair of pink fluffy handcuffs and waved them at Edward with a bemused smile. At the bottom of the box was a handwritten note:

_Bella, please accept this as a peace offering. These should help you keep hold of the next guy, whatever happens... Joke! ~ Rose xoxo_

Alice swiftly pocketed the note. She didn't think Bella would see the funny side. The buzzer went again and Alice dumped the package and its kinky contents onto the table by the door. Mr. May had arrived. "Hi! Come on in. You must be Felix."

oOo

"Alice, I'm telling you now, I'm taking a rain-check on this one," whispered Bella.

"What? But he's so _big_!" giggled Alice.

"Exactly!" Bella hissed. "It's terrifying." The girls - and Edward – had been stunned from the moment Felix had ducked his head and walked in the door of the studio. The guy was a giant. Their jaws had collectively dropped even further when he'd undressed, revealing that big feet didn't only mean huge shoes.

At first, Bella had flirtatiously welcomed Felix into her studio. As she'd gazed up at his strong jaw and kind brown eyes, she couldn't help imagining how she'd have to stand on tippy-toes to kiss him. The thought had made her smile. There was something so romantic about reaching up to kiss a guy. And, as Rosalie would say, everyone's the same height when you're lying down.

Bella had felt a flush of desire when he'd pulled off his shirt, revealing a broad chest and massive arms. She'd found herself wondering what it would feel like to be crushed under the weight of him. Not at all unpleasant, she thought.

But when Felix had pulled down his boxers, it was all she could do not to gasp out loud. She'd exchanged a shocked look with Alice and noticed that even Edward's eyes had widened. "Bella, where did you get this guy? The set of _Boogie Nights_?" he whispered to her.

Now Felix was working a selection of gym equipment in front of the camera, his muscle-bound body angled in an attempt to protect his modesty. Except it didn't – there was too much to protect.

"Sorry Felix, this isn't really working," said Bella. "I think we need to rethink the positioning. Let's take five."

"Sure, no problem," he smiled. Edward tossed over a white towel to Felix and the guys started talking about the previous night's game, Felix towering over Edward.

"_You're too big to fit in here, too big to fit in here, too big to fit in here,_" sang Alice under her breath, mimicking one of their favourite movies, _The Sweetest Thing_. Bella mimed a 'cut it' motion, stifling a laugh. "Seriously Bells, aren't you intrigued? It's huge! Don't you want to know what it feels like?"

"Alice, if you're so curious, go for him yourself. I told you, I am out of this one!"

"No thanks. You know one night stands aren't my thing."

"I know, I know. You're waiting for The One. Blah blah blah," Bella playfully yawned and rolled her eyes. Alice had always been the most romantic one of the three friends. She'd been almost as heartbroken as Bella when Mike had done the dirty with Jessica; it had rocked her belief in true love. She dated, she certainly wasn't a virgin, but she was convinced Mr. Right would come and sweep her off her feet, and she didn't want to waste time kissing too many frogs before her prince came along.

"So what are you going to do about the photo," asked Alice. "How are we going to cage the beast?"

"Hmm," pondered Bella. "I think I have an idea. Felix, can you undo the towel and hold it in front of you?"

"Like this?" he asked, settling back into a pose.

"That's perfect," said Bella, walking back over to her camera. She knew she should have been mad at herself. She'd been so desperate to prove a point to Rosalie – not to mention the fact that she was insatiably horny. But throwing herself at Felix just didn't feel right, and not only because he was terrifyingly huge. Maybe Alice had a point. Maybe she should be looking for someone to date. She just didn't know any more.

_Oh well_, thought Bella. _Tomorrow is another day… And June is another month._

* * *

**A/N: For those of you who don't know the song Alice sings, look up 'The Sweetest Thing You're Too Big' on YouTube. It's insane.**


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: I'm delighted to say that Calendar Guys made it to the top five in The Lemonade Stand's Fic of the Week. Yay! *pops champagne*Thanks so much to everyone who voted!**

**Un petit message pour mes lecteurs français: J'aime lire vos commentaires sur 'Calendrier d'Hommes' (traduction de Lijuma) et merci pour votre soutien. Gros bisous!**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Mr. June**

Mr. June had a rugged look about him, which Bella found refreshingly sexy after five clean-cut guys. She wondered what it would feel like to run her hands through his tousled brown hair, to feel his light stubble brush against her chin. Or her breasts. Or her…

"Bella?"

"Yes, Alice?"

"Can you give me a hand with this baby oil, please?"

"Yes, Alice." _Please, Alice._

Alice handed Bella the bottle of oil and asked her to start greasing up Liam's back. Bella only too happily obliged. As she rubbed the oil into his smooth skin, she was reminded of Riley's massage. Her heart fluttered at the memory and she felt herself blush.

Bella worked her way down until she reached the model's butt. "Um, Liam… do you mind if I…?" He looked round and saw Bella's predicament. He laughed a dirty chuckle.

"No bother, love, work away. I don't want to get me hands greasy now, do I?" She swooned inside. His Irish accent was to die for.

After the little – or rather, big – problem at the last photo shoot, Bella felt a renewed confidence in herself. She'd given up worrying – about whether she could score a guy, about whether she should date. She was just going to go with the flow. And the flow seemed to be going very well today.

She cast a glance over at Edward. He was busy setting up the lighting in front of a massive full-length mirror. Bella had given him the tricky job of fixing the lights in such a way to cast Liam's nether regions in shadow, while his glorious backside was reflected in the mirror behind him. _That should keep Edward out of my hair for a while,_ she thought. Bella wasn't finding Edward quite so annoying any more, but for some reason she didn't feel comfortable having him around while she flirted with Liam.

Bella squeezed a big dollop of oil into her hands and started to rub it into Liam's tight ass, trying to find the fine line between businesslike and sexy (she wasn't sure such a thing existed but she was going to try her damnedest to find it). Bella looked up from her work at Alice, who was oiling up Liam's chest with a small smile on her face. She saw her friend's eyes dart down to the model's naked crotch and look back up at Bella in shock. Bella had known Alice long enough to interpret the look she was giving her. Liam was evidently enjoying this. A lot. Bella suppressed a laugh and carried on massaging his butt. She was certainly doing a thorough job.

"Lads, do you mind if we put some music on?" asked Liam. "I find it helps me relax."

"Sure, no problem," said Bella.

"Ah deadly! I've a CD in me bag. It's me mate's band. They're really good."

"Oh cool," said Alice. "Just let me wash this oil of my hands and I'll get it for you." She went over to the sink, leaving Bella and Liam alone. Bella suddenly felt acutely aware of the model's lack of clothes.

"I'm going to see them play tonight, actually. They're the support act for Denali at the Volterra club. You should come along… if you're not doing anything, like. They'll be tickets on the door." Liam was looking at her with a twinkle in his green eyes.

Bella grinned. Was this a date? It turned out she didn't need to worry about what to do – sometimes fate stepped in and made the decision for you. "Yeah, sure, why not? It sounds like it could be fun."

"Did you just say Denali are playing at Volterra tonight?" Edward called over from his stepladder. Bella gritted her teeth. _Just when she was starting to like the guy…_

"Yeah, it should be a savage gig," replied Liam, before Bella could stop him.

"Oh man, Leah is going to be so stoked when I tell her. She's a big fan of Denali." Bella raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She had never heard of the band until two seconds ago, but yet Leah was a huge fan?

"Well, let's make it a group outing," Alice chipped in. Bella flashed her a look. _What was she playing at? _Alice pointedly ignored her glare and pressed play on the CD player. Bella threw her head back in despair. _She was never going to get a fucking break._

oOo

The Volterra club was a complete hole of a place. While the Spartans bar may have been too flash and pretentious for Bella and Alice's taste, this place was at the opposite end of the scale. Bella could feel her shoes sticking to the floor and her nostrils were assaulted by a potent mixture of suspicious smells. She wished she'd slipped some sanitizer into her handbag.

Her and Alice headed straight to the bar, through a sea of leather jackets and ripped jeans. They were going to need a lot of alcohol to get through the evening. Bella was finding it hard to imagine Leah at a place like this. Had Edward made a mistake in thinking she liked this band, Denali? She certainly hadn't seemed like a heavy rock chick.

Alice handed Bella a rum and coke in a grubby-looking glass. Bella wiped it with the edge of her sleeve before taking a cautious sip. "This better be worth it, Bells," grumbled Alice, peering with distaste at the shriveled slice of lemon in her vodka tonic.

"I would apologise, but you know you didn't have to come. If Edward hadn't piped up I'd be enjoying a romantic date with a certain cute Irishman right now."

"Romantic? This place?" laughed Alice, looking around. "Where is Liam anyway? I thought we were supposed to meet him here at nine. You don't think he's bailed, do you?"

Bella looked at her watch. "He's only fifteen minutes late. I'm sure he'll be here soon. Do you think he's interested in me?"

"He asked you out to this dump, didn't he?" Bella wasn't sure how to take this comment – yes, he'd asked her out… but he'd invited her _here_.

Before she had a chance to answer Alice, she felt a pair of hands grab her waist playfully from behind. She smiled to herself and took the hands in hers, turning round to greet Liam with a hug.

It wasn't Liam.

"Oh, hey Edward," Bella sighed, disappointed and a little surprised at Edward's familiarity with her. _He did hug me at my apartment the other day,_ she thought, _but this feels a little bit weird. I am kind of his boss after all. _She made a mental note to talk to him about this later.

"Hi Bella," he slurred, leaning in a little too close for comfort. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. "Alice," he waved, his eyes struggling to focus.

"Edward, you're drunk," Bella stated, crossly. This was all she needed. They were probably going to get thrown out before Liam even got here. "Where's Leah?"

Edward looked around behind him, swaying dangerously on his feet. "She's over…"

"It's okay, I see her," said Alice, waving frantically at Leah to join them. Leah rushed over as soon as she saw.

"Hey guys. I'm so sorry, Edward made a break for it while I was checking our coats. We barely made it in the door. He was back-chatting the bouncers." She flashed Edward a furious look, gripping his arm to steady him.

"How much has he had to drink?" asked Bella.

"Too much," Leah sighed. "We met round my place for a couple of drinks before we came out. Before I knew it, the whiskey bottle was empty. I don't know what's got into him. He usually knows his limits. He seemed pretty pissed about something, but he wouldn't tell me what. I don't know…"

"So you think he's been trying to drown his sorrows?" asked Alice. Leah shrugged, and helped Edward onto a bar stool where he slumped and closed his eyes.

"You shouldn't have brought him out in this state," said Bella. "He's a mess, Leah. What were you thinking?"

"I know, I know! But he was so excited to see this band, I didn't want him to miss it. And I thought he might sober up a bit once we got out of the apartment." Edward leaned over towards Leah and rested his head on her shoulder. She struggled to keep him from falling off the stool.

"Edward wanted to see them?" asked Bella, puzzled. "I thought you were the Denali fan?"

"Me? I'd never… uh, I mean, yeah, but Edward loves them, too." Bella exchanged a look with Alice. Leah seemed to be covering something up but she didn't know what. Or why.

"Well, he's not going to see them in that state," said Alice. "And if he does, he sure as hell won't remember it. You should really take him home, Leah. At least call him a cab if you want to see the band yourself."

"No, you're right, Alice. I'll take him home. I should never have brought him out like this. I didn't realise how drunk he actually was." She lightly tapped Edward on the face a few times. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Let's get you home."

Bella had to admit she felt pretty bad for Edward as Leah dragged him out of the bar. The poor guy was going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning. Her sympathy didn't last long though, because at that moment, Liam arrived.

And he wasn't alone.

* * *

**A/N: Awww, poor Edward! Why do you think he got so drunk? I would love to hear what you think in a review!**


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thanks for all your reviews of the last chapter. Most of you think Edward was drowning his sorrows because he was upset Bella had been asked out by Liam. You'll find out more very soon, but for now let's see how Bella and Alice are getting on at the Volterra bar...**

**Special thanks today to Ana, who has created an awesome banner for Calendar Guys at TwilightFanfictionRecsBlog. You can find the link to it on my profile page or my Twitter account at popsicle99.**

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Mr. June (cont'd)**

Bella looked over to Alice and mouthed, "What the fuck?" Liam had entered the bar with two leggy blondes, one draped over each arm. Both were dressed in identikit mini-skirts and leather jackets, and they were laughing flirtatiously at something Liam had said.

"Hey Bella, Alice!" he called. "Glad you found the place okay. I'm shite at giving directions. This is Lauren and Irina." He gestured to the two girls, who drawled an uninterested 'hiiii' in unison. "I thought I'd bring them along to join us. The more the merrier, eh?" He winked. "Where's Edward?"

"Oh, he wasn't feeling too well, so his friend took him home," replied Alice quickly, before Bella could blurt out the truth.

"That's a shame," said Liam, not really sounding like he meant it. "Ah well, that just means I get all you lovely ladies to meself." He laughed and walked up to the bar to order some drinks, the blondes trailing after him.

Bella sidled over to Alice, furious. "Since when was it considered acceptable behaviour to bring two extra girls on a date with you? What are they – spares, in case things didn't work out with me?!"

"Maybe there's been a misunderstanding, Bells. Perhaps he wasn't asking you out on a date. He could have just been being friendly. Maybe the rules are different in Ireland." Alice placed a consoling hand on Bella's arm. "Do you want to get out of here? This place is so gross."

"No," said Bella, decisively. "If I go home, Liam will think I'm upset or, worse, jealous. I'm don't want to give him the satisfaction of thinking that I might have been interested in him. Let's stick around and play it cool." She took a swig of her rum and coke to strengthen her resolve. "Besides, the support band is about to start – and they look pretty hot…"

Alice's followed her friend's gaze over to the stage, where four guys were setting up their instruments. Bella was right – they were very cute, in a rock band kind of way. And one of them looked really familiar… "Bella," said Alice, nudging her friend. "Isn't that one of the models we've booked for the calendar? The guy with the blond, curly hair."

Bella squinted in the dim light at the guitar player Alice was pointing out. He _did_ look like one of the future calendar guys, the one called Jasper Whitlock, if Bella remembered correctly. "It sure looks like him," she admitted. "We can find out after their set, anyway. Liam's a friend of the band, he'll be able to introduce us." _Maybe tonight wasn't a total waste of time, after all_.

"Oh my god, Bells," squealed Alice, grabbing on to Bella's arm. "He is _seriously_ sexy. Look at that smile!"

"The lead singer's not bad either," grinned Bella. _Definitely worth sticking around a bit longer for._

The band was pretty awful, as it turned out. But Bella and Alice weren't really interested in the music. They were too busy drooling over the band members. Liam had confirmed the guitar player _was_ the model Jasper and told them the front man was his friend, Garrett.

Alice couldn't take her eyes off Jasper and was literally swooning at every guitar riff he played. Bella recalled it was Alice who had originally pointed him out when they were going through the pictures to select the 12 male models for the shoot – so technically she _had _seen him first. Bella wasn't about to do a Rosalie and step on her friend's toes. So she turned her attention to the charismatic lead singer instead.

Garrett didn't have the best voice she'd ever heard, but he didn't seem to notice. If Simon Cowell had been in the audience he would have to admit he had 'the X factor.' He swaggered around the stage, working the crowd up into a frenzy, and singing into the microphone as if he was in love with it. Or at least was having a hot one night stand with it. He caught Bella's eye several times and she held his gaze, feeling a hot sensation rising up inside of her. _Hmm,_ she thought, _this has potential._

The band finished after four or five songs and cleared the stage to make room for the main act, Denali. It wasn't long before they joined Liam and the girls in the bar, greeting the Irishman with bro-hugs and high fives. "Great show, guys!"

"Thanks, man," said Garrett, with a flick of his long, sandy hair. Bella could see that modesty wasn't his style. She noticed that Thing One and Thing Two - her and Alice's new nickname for Lauren and Irina – were hovering, apparently ready to sink their claws into Garrett. _Maybe Liam hadn't brought them along for himself after all_, she thought. _Perhaps they're just groupies that latched onto him to get to the band. Well, not if I have anything to do with it._

"Hi Garrett, I'm Bella." She thrust herself forward, flashing her best flirtatious smile. "You were amazing up there. Liam played us your CD at our photo shoot today and I just _had_ to come and see you live."

"Ah, well thank you. Always a pleasure to meet a new fan," he took Bella's hand and kissed it the old fashioned way, fixing her with his dark eyes. "Especially one as beautiful as you." She smiled and looked down demurely. Yeah, it was corny as hell, but she was determined to keep his attention away from the blonde leeches. "So you're a photographer, right? We'd love to get some new publicity shots of the band. Maybe you could give me your number…"

"Oh, sure. I'd love to photograph you guys! I have a business card here somewhere… Here, can you hold this?" She passed her drink to Garrett and fished around in her handbag. She pulled out a business card and scrawled something on the back of it before passing it to Garrett. He took the card, looked at the message and raised an eyebrow at Bella as he handed back her drink. She smiled at him and tried to look innocent.

"Actually, I'll be taking Jasper's photo really soon. He's modelling for the _Eclipse_ magazine calendar."

"Is that so? Hey Jasper," he called the guitarist over. "Come and meet Bella, she's the photographer on that calendar shoot you were telling me about." Jasper looked relieved to have an excuse to extricate himself from the fawning clutches of Irina, who had a slightly crazed look in her eye, and sauntered over.

He shook Bella's hand, flashing that gorgeous smile that Alice had been so excited about. "Bella, hi. Pleased to meet you. And who might you be, little darlin'?" Jasper barely gave Bella a second glance before turning his attention to Alice, who had been standing quietly behind her. Bella could see her friend blush prettily, even in the dark light of the bar, as she introduced herself. She was literally melting on the spot. Bella had visions of mopping Alice up and taking her home in a bucket. She grinned and left them to it. The pair were already leaning in intimately close to each other, trying to hold a conversation over the loud music, seemingly oblivious to everyone else in the bar around them.

"There goes my wingman for the night," joked Garrett, stepping in closer to Bella so she could hear him over Denali's first song.

"You don't strike me as someone who needs a wingman," Bella leaned up to shout in his ear, letting her lips brush up against his stubbly cheek. "You seemed pretty confident up on stage. Not to mention the fact you have women lining up to talk to you." She nodded at Thing One and Thing Two, who were standing around with vacant looks on their faces waiting for one of the band members to buy them a drink. She thought they would be in for a long wait. Jasper was engrossed in conversation with Alice, Liam was chatting to the drummer, and Garrett was all hers. She caught Lauren's eye and smiled smugly.

"Ugh, those two," he shuddered. "I don't know why Liam always lets them tag along. The other week I got stuck talking to both of them at the same time. 'Vapid' doesn't even begin to cover it. I was ready to blow my brains out by the end of the night, just to make things more interesting. Besides, I prefer brunettes…" He playfully twirled a strand of Bella's long hair. She swallowed. "Come on, let me get you a drink."

They walked over to the bar, where Garrett ordered their drinks, plus two shots of tequila. "Body slammers. You in?"

"What's a 'body slammer'?" asked Bella, thinking she liked the sound of it, whatever it was.

"Salt. Tequila. Lemon." He leaned forward towards Bella and placed a wedge of lemon between her lips. "I'm going to lick the salt off a part of your body, down the shot of tequila, then take the lemon from you. Okay?" Bella nodded dumbly, unable to speak with the lemon hanging out of her mouth. Garrett bent his head down and took a long and sensuous lick below her collarbone. She felt her nipples harden as his scruffy chin tickled her sensitive skin. He sprinkled the salt onto the wet streak on her chest and licked it again. Bella shivered. Garrett knocked back the tequila and moved in to take the lemon from Bella's mouth with his teeth. He winced as the bitter juices filled his mouth and spat the lemon out onto the bar. "Okay. Your turn. Pick your spot."

Bella put a piece of lemon in his mouth and picked up the salt shaker, looking him up and down and pretending to consider her options. She reached for the hem of his black t-shirt and tugged it up, exposing a flat stomach and a fuzzy 'happy trail'. She bent down and licked a patch of Garrett's bare skin, just above his waistline, conscious of the bulge in his skinny jeans so close to her face. She applied the salt, licked again, then straightened up to down the shot, enjoying the burning sensation in her throat. She stood up on tiptoes to take the lemon from Garrett's mouth, but he let it drop from his lips at the last second and pulled Bella into a sudden and citrusy kiss.

They broke apart, laughing. "Sorry Bella, I couldn't resist," Garrett shrugged. He pulled her close again and spoke into her ear, seductively. "What do you say we get out of this dump?"

* * *

**A/N: Literal lemons in this chapter, LOL! I look forward to your reviews. Poppy x**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 – Mr. Rock Star**

Bella gave the taxi driver an extra tip on top of what Garrett had already paid. She was feeling slightly ashamed of her behaviour in the back of the cab and wanted to apologise somehow. From the moment they fell into the backseat of the car, her and Garrett had been all over each other like a pair of horny teenagers at a make-out spot. Her chin was already starting to feel a little sore from the friction of kissing his stubbly face. She didn't care though – she felt drunk on lust. Or tequila. Or both.

When he'd propositioned her in the bar Bella had been hesitant at first. She'd literally only known the guy for five minutes, and going home with a total stranger was never a wise idea. But as she'd seen the hunger in his dark eyes, she was overcome with a wave of recklessness, which had turned her on even more than the way Garrett had been stroking her neck as he waited for her to accept his offer.

Alice's face had been crestfallen when Bella told her she wanted to go home. It was only when Alice realised her friend had no intention of making her leave the bar as well that she calmed down. Apparently, things had been going _really_ well with Jasper. Alice made Bella promise to call her if she needed anything ("What, like condoms?" quipped Bella) and the girls had wished each other good luck with their respective band members. "Does this make us groupies?" giggled Alice. "I always wanted to say I'm 'with the band.'"

Now she was fumbling for her apartment keys as Garrett stood behind her, passionately kissing the back of her neck, his hands wandering up her top to grope at her breasts. "Easy tiger," laughed Bella, leaning back into him. "I'll never find my keys if you keep distracting me like this."

"I don't mind," Garrett whispered into her ear, sending shivers down Bella's spine. "I'd quite happily fuck you right here in the hallway."

"Hmmm, I don't think my neighbours would be too happy about that. Not to mention the fact we'd be making a free CCTV sex tape for the security guard." She turned around to kiss Garrett full on the lips, letting her own hands rub the taut chest muscles beneath his black t-shirt. Bella had to admit she was sorely tempted by his offer. She wasn't sure she had the patience to waste precious seconds trying to find her keys. But a little voice in the back of her mind was telling her it would be a travesty to have her first post-Mike orgasm with a guy in a shabby hallway of an apartment building. So she pulled away from the kiss and pulled out her keychain.

In their haste to get inside, the couple fell in the doorway and almost tripped over a big package on the floor. "Whoa! Great place to leave a box, Bella," joked Garrett, sliding his arms around her to steady them and copping a sneaky feel of her butt in the process.

"That's weird. I didn't leave it there. It must have been delivered while I was out. My next door neighbor has a spare key for emergencies." She reluctantly stepped out of Garrett's embrace and knelt down to inspect the parcel. There was no address, just her name. _Must have been hand-delivered_, she thought.

"Well, aren't you going to open it?" asked Garrett, crouching down next to Bella and resting his hand on her knee.

"I'm kind of busy right now, in case you hadn't noticed," she flirted.

"Come on, open it. Otherwise the curiosity is going to kill us. We could be having the most epic make-out session ever, but all we'll be thinking is, 'I wonder what's in that box?'" Bella laughed and set to work opening the package.

Inside was a pink box, similar to the one Rosalie had delivered the handcuffs in the other day. A note was taped to the lid. Bella sighed. Another 'gift' from Rose. She opened the note and read:

**_My darling Bella, Alice tells me you are playing at rock chick tonight. Hope this will help you fit the role! Please call me! Rose XOXO_**

Bella set the note to one side and nervously opened the box. All she could see was a mass of black leather. She pulled out the item on top and held it up, trying to figure out what it was. As realisation dawned, she was glad of the Dutch courage the tequila had given her. It was a PVC corset with a nipped-in waist and silver studs down the front.

"What the…?" gasped Garrett, his eyes on stalks.

"It's from my friend, Rosalie. I think it's supposed to be some kind of joke."

"Wow… some friend! Hey, there's something else in there…" Bella looked down. There was indeed something else – a pair of black leather thigh boots with spiked heels. She could hear Garrett swallow hard.

"Bella," he breathed. "Put them on."

oOo

He didn't need to ask her twice. She relegated him to the living room while she got changed in her bedroom. Her heart was beating so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest – through nerves or excitement, she couldn't tell. Bella stripped off her clothes as quickly as she could, until she was wearing nothing but a black thong. She wrapped the new basque around herself, struggling to fix the clasps at the back in her hurry. Once on, she sat down on the edge of her bed and slid on the thigh-high boots. The leather was buttery soft and felt so sexy against the bare skin of her legs.

Bella stood up and walked over to her full-length mirror to see her new 'look', almost tripping on the sky-high heels. She regained her balance, composed herself and admired her reflection. The corset had created the hourglass figure she would never have, hugging in a tiny waist and pushing her breasts up into a voluptuous cleavage. The boots accentuated her long, slim legs, and the black thong showed off her pert little butt to perfection. _Damn, she looked hot!_ Pleased with herself, and begrudgingly thankful to Rosalie, she tottered out of the bedroom to show Garrett, desperate to see the look on his face when he set eyes on her.

He didn't disappoint. "Holy. Fuck."

Bella smiled to herself as she saw his jaw drop.

Garrett jumped up off the sofa with lightning speed and scooped Bella into his arms, his lips devouring hers, his hands hungrily exploring her curves. She felt her body go limp, surrendering itself to his touch. They stumbled their way back into Bella's bedroom, barely letting an inch of space between them as they moved. Somewhere along the short walk from the living room to the bedroom, Garrett managed to lose his t-shirt and jeans, revealing a chest and arms covered in tattoos.

He threw Bella back onto the bed and crawled on top of her, burying his face in her cleavage. For the second time that evening, she felt her nipples harden at the feel of his facial hair on the sensitive skin of her chest. She tangled her fingers in Garrett's long hair and held on tightly as spasms of lust coursed through her body. He traced the new shape of her body, in at the waist then out over her slender hips, where he gripped the black fabric of her thong with both hands and ripped it off her body, letting out a groan of excitement as he did so. Bella gasped. Lying there in nothing but a leather basque and boots, she'd never felt more sexy in her entire life.

Garrett pushed himself up from the bed to take in the view. "Oh my god, woman. You are so… fucking… hot," he growled, stroking her inner thighs teasingly. Bella thought she might self-combust. Garrett bent down to kiss her again – although he was nowhere near her face this time – when suddenly he stopped. "Bella, is that a pair of… handcuffs?"

She followed the direction of his gaze to see the 'gift' Rosalie had sent her the other day. She'd dumped them on her dresser after the photo shoot and forgotten all about it. _Could Rosalie be about to redeem herself twice in one day? _"Um, yeah," said Bella. "Another 'joke' gift from my friend."

"I really need to meet this friend and thank her," leered Garrett, getting up from the bed to pick up the cuffs. Bella pushed herself up on her elbows and felt a pang of doubt. "Garrett, I'm not sure I want to be cuffed. I haven't done anything like that before…"

Garrett sat back down on the bed next to her and stroked her face. "Don't worry, beautiful. I want _you_ to cuff _me_." He raised an eyebrow and dangled the handcuffs in front of her. "Make me your prisoner, Bella."

She breathed a sigh of relief. _This was okay. In fact, this was better than okay. _She snatched the cuffs from Garrett and pushed him back on the bed forcefully, snapping one metal ring around his wrist, looping it around the bars of the bedhead, before cuffing his other hand. "Well, now it's time for your strip search," she grinned, slipping her fingers under the waistband of his underwear and sliding them down, with an appreciative glance at the contents they revealed.

Starting to enjoy her new role, Bella threw one booted leg over his body and pulled herself up so she was sitting astride his waist. She let her fingernails gently rake the length of his torso, causing him to cry out and writhe in pleasure underneath her. Leaning down to kiss him, Bella shimmied the lower half of her body down until she could feel the heat of his hardness between her legs. Teasingly, she moved her hips to lightly brush her wetness along his length, relishing the feeling of control. He groaned into her mouth as they kissed, thrusting his own hips to press himself harder against her. Bella pulled away. "Not yet," she whispered into Garrett's neck. She was planning to take her time and savour every thrilling second.

She let her kisses trail down his neck and over his chest, pausing to flicker her tongue around his pierced nipple. The cold metal of his piercing felt tantalising in her hot mouth. She moved her lips further down his body until she reached his waist. She raised her head to look up at Garrett with a wicked smile on her face, taunting him with her hesitation. "Please, woman, don't stop," he begged.

Bella grinned and gripped Garrett's throbbing erection in her hand, lowering her head and extending her tongue to trace a wet circle around the tip. A low, guttural sound escaped Garrett's lips, as she slowly took him in her mouth, inch by inch…

_BUZZZZZZZZZZZ._

_What the hell?_ thought Bella, as she heard the buzzer on her apartment door. _Who the fuck is here at this time of night? _She decided to ignore it and returned to the task in hand.

_BUZZZZZZZZZZZ._

_BUZZZZZZZZZZZ._

_BUZZZZZZZZZZZ._

"Um, Bella…" said Garrett, his voice low and husky. "I think there's someone at the door."

Bella let Garrett fall out of her mouth to reply. "It's probably just kids or drunks. Ignore it."

_BUZZZZZZZZZZZ._

_BUZZZZZZZZZZZ._

_BUZZZZZZZZZZZ._

"That's kind of hard to ignore," said Garrett. "Maybe you should just go see who it is. At least to tell them to fuck off."

Bella sighed in frustration and sat up. "Ugh, okay. Give me a second, I'll be right back." She started to get up from the bed.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

* * *

**A/N: Who could be at the door? Let me know what you think! Reviews will get teasers for the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: So most of you thought it was Edward at the door. Is it him? Read on to find out! **

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 18 **

Bella pulled on her robe and headed for the door, remembering just in time to pull off her long leather boots, leaving them lying forlornly on the bedroom floor. Her uninvited guest had somehow got in through the main entrance to the building – she was guessing one of the neighbours must have buzzed them in – and was now hammering on her apartment door. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that it might be Edward. His cock-blocking was becoming quite a habit. And he'd certainly been drunk enough to do something crazy like turn up at her home in the middle of the night. But why? What reason could he possibly have for showing up unannounced? Whoever it was, they seemed pretty desperate to be let in.

"Okay, okay," called Bella. "I'm coming!" _Not in the way I should be though_, she thought to herself angrily. She slid the chain across the door, just in case it was an axe-wielding murderer, unlocked it and peeped round. What she saw made her slam the door shut again. _No, this can't be happening. Not now. Not him._

It was Mike.

Bella turned around and collapsed back against the door, her heart racing. The room was spinning and she could suddenly taste the tequila burning in her throat again. She let herself slide down to the floor. Just a glimpse of her ex-fiancé had completely unravelled her. After a few seconds, she remembered to breathe.

"Please Bells, let me in. I need to see you," Mike pleaded through the wood of the door. "I'm going crazy out here. _Please!_" As if in a trance, Bella slowly stood up and unchained the door. She pulled it open, letting Mike in without a word. He burst in and threw his arms around her in a crushing hug. "Oh my god, Bella, I've missed you so fucking much." She stood motionless in his arms, too stunned to respond.

The smell of alcohol coming off him was pungent and it startled Bella back to her senses. She pulled away from his sloppy embrace. "M- Mike. What the hell?" She was angry. Angry at him for turning up like this, angry at him for being drunk. Most of all, angry at him for stirring up a whirlpool of emotions that was threatening to suck her under any minute. She fought hard to regain control. "Seriously, what the fuck do you think you're doing coming round here?"

Mike fell down to his knees, a sorrowful look on his face. The face she'd once found so handsome, with his twinkling blue eyes and boyish grin. Now when she looked at it, all she saw was pain and loss. A rusty knife of a memory that cut deep and jagged. Yet she couldn't look away.

"Bella," he started. "Bella, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry." She could see tears welling up in his eyes. "I fucked up. I know that now. I just needed to see you… to tell you how sorry I am…"

Bella swallowed hard, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Mike," she said slowly in barely a whisper. "You already apologised. I've heard it all before. Why are you here? Why now?"

"I miss you, Bella. It's you, it's always been you. I was just too fucking stupid to realise it." He ran his hand through his blond hair, in a gesture that was at once both so familiar and so alienating to Bella. "I know you can probably never forgive me for what I did, Bells, and I don't blame you. But I still love you, Bella, and I had to know… I had to try…" The tears were falling freely down his cheeks now. Bella was taken aback. She'd never seen Mike cry before, not even when his favourite grandmother died. _Did he really mean what he was saying? Or was it just the alcohol talking? _Mike always had been a messy drunk_._

"What about…?" She couldn't bring herself to say that slut's name. _Jessica._ She didn't need to say it. The silence hung between them like a dirty cloud of smog.

"It's over," said Mike, wiping his eyes and getting back up to his feet. "She's nothing compared to you, Bella. I've been such an idiot. What we had was so perfect. I still can't believe I threw it all away…" He took a few unsteady steps towards her, reminding her of drunken Edward in the bar earlier. She found it hard to believe that was only a matter of hours ago – it felt like days.

"Mike, how much have you had to drink?" she asked. He'd never been able to handle hard liquor.

"I- I don't know. Not much," he slurred. "Bella, come here. I need to hold you…" He reached out his arms towards her. She hesitated, tempted by his embrace. Her head was telling her to kick him out, but her heart was clinging on to the ghost of happy memories, of better times. She felt tears pricking at the back of her eyes, wishing – not for the first time – that she could turn back the clock to before this whole sorry mess had happened.

_No_, she told herself, firmly, brushing Mike's hands away.

"Let me make some coffee," she said, avoiding the hurt and remorse in her ex's eyes and making her way to the kitchen. He followed her.

"Mike, do you honestly think you can just show up here and fix everything by saying sorry?" Bella asked, as she fumbled with the coffee maker. "After everything you put me through, that I'll just forgive and forget?"

"No… no! Bells, I don't blame you if you never want to forgive me. I just had to see you." Mike gingerly stepped up behind Bella and tentatively put his hands on her waist. She knew she should push him away, order him to leave – but the feel of his touch pulled on her heartstrings. It was like touching something burning hot – you know you should pull your hand away, but something inside you makes you hold it there until it really hurts. Mike leant his head forward and rested it on Bella's shoulder. "Oh Bella…" he said, quietly into her ear. A sob escaped her, even as she turned her face to lay her cheek against his. She could smell his favourite cologne over the alcohol on his breath. It felt like coming home, to find strangers have moved in while you were away. Her vision became blurry with tears.

Mike lifted a hand from Bella's waist and brushed her long hair back from her neck, replacing it with a light kiss. The fight in her was almost gone; she was ready to surrender to old feelings. She took a deep breath.

"Bella!"

_Oh fuck._ Garrett! She'd completely forgotten about him in the shock of seeing Mike.

Mike pulled away from her. "What the fuck was that? Is someone here?"

"Hey Bella, what's going on?" Garrett called from her bedroom. "Can you come and let me out of these things? I can't feel my hands any more!"

Mike looked at Bella as if she was a piece of dog turd he'd found on the bottom of his shoe. "You have a _guy_ in your bedroom?"

Bella snapped. It was one thing Mike turning up uninvited to fuck around with her feelings – but now he was chastising her for seeing someone new? After cheating on her with Slut of the Century and Mr. Dildo? She raised her hand and slapped Mike hard across the face. Twice.

The look of shock on his face was priceless. Bella wished she'd had a camera.

Shaking his head and rubbing his cheek, Mike stormed out of the kitchen and headed in the direction of her bedroom. _Oh shit_, thought Bella. "Erm, Mike, you really don't want to go in there," she called, racing after him. It was too late. He was stood in the open bedroom doorway, staring at Garrett lying naked and helpless on the bed.

"Uh, hi there," grinned Garrett, sheepishly. "I would come and shake your hand, but… erm.. I'm a little tied up at the moment as you can see." He attempted to shrug.

"Mike, get out of here, now," commanded Bella, feeling in control for the first time since her ex had arrived. He dumbly followed her back into the sitting room, and collapsed trancelike on the sofa, too shocked – or drunk – to speak. "Mike, I can explain…" started Bella. She checked herself – she didn't need to explain anything to him. "Look, Mike… Just wait here." She left him on the couch and went back to Garrett.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," she apologised, working quickly to unlock the handcuffs. "He's my ex, he just turned up. I'm sorry I couldn't stop him…"

"Hey, Bella, it's okay. These things happen… I guess," Garrett smiled, sadly. "Look, tonight's been great, but I should probably be going." He gave his arms a shake to get the circulation going again and reached for his underwear.

"Oh, sure, of course," said Bella, mentally kicking herself. _Another encounter ruined._ "Um, maybe we could exchange numbers or something?"

Garrett paused. "Bella, I think you're a great girl. And, god, _so_ fucking hot. But… I don't really want to get involved in any ex drama, if you know what I mean. I hope you understand…"

"Oh, things are well over between me and Mike, honestly," she protested.

"Really? Then why's he showing up at your place in the middle of the night?"

"Garrett, I—" Bella stopped what she'd been about to say. She wasn't going to beg. "Okay. I'll show you out."

They collected the rest of Garrett's clothes from where they'd been discarded on the floor and he left after a brief kiss goodbye. Bella was too emotionally shell-shocked from Mike's visit to really care. She just wanted to curl up in a ball and shut out the rest of the world. But before she could do that, there was one small problem she had to deal with – Mike.

She closed the front door and went back to the sitting room. Mike was passed out on the sofa. She breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't ready to speak to him again just yet. Bella found an old blanket and draped it over Mike's comatose body. He was already snoring loudly – the one thing about him she hadn't missed. She hoped he had a serious hangover in the morning.

The thought reminded her of Edward, who was probably crashed out in a similar state right about now. She smiled fondly. Poor guy. She went into her bedroom, picked up her phone and texted:

**HEY EDWARD, I GUESS YOU WON'T GET THIS TIL THE MORNING BUT JUST CHECKING IN TO SEE IF YOU'RE OK. YOU WERE PRETTY TWISTED LAST NIGHT! HOPE THE HEAD DOESN'T HURT TOO BAD! BELLA X**

She pressed 'send'. She wasn't sure who was going to feel worse tomorrow – Edward, Mike, or her.

* * *

**A/N: Ugh, I hope Mike feels AWFUL in the morning. He deserves it! **

**Thanks a million this week to Midnight Cougar for featuring Calendar Guys in Rob Attack's FanFiction Friday recs, and to Vamps Have Laws for including it in The Lemonade Stand's Nursery. :)**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

He opened his eyes slowly. Needles of light pierced his eyeballs as the kaleidoscope of a ceiling gradually came into focus. It felt like something was stabbing him repeatedly in the head. He tried to move, but couldn't. It was too painful. The room felt like it was swaying. Was he on a boat? It wasn't outside the realm of possibility. At this point in time he had no recollection of last night's events. All he knew was there was way too much alcohol involved. That was a certainty.

"Duuuuuude, you look sick. And not in a good way." He recognised the sleepy voice. It was Eric, Leah's stoner of a roommate. Edward realised he was lying on Leah's sofa. _Definitely better than waking up on a boat in the middle of nowhere._ Eric pushed Edward's legs off the couch and sat down, munching on a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. He picked up the remote from the table and turned on the TV. Edward cringed as the loud noise sent a ringing through his ears. "Oh, sorry dude," chuckled Eric, turning the volume down.

Edward pulled himself up, wincing in pain, and rubbed his bleary eyes. He didn't know what time it was, but he knew it must be late in the morning – even early afternoon – if Eric was up eating breakfast. "Where's Leah?" he asked, his voice gravelly.

"Making coffee," said Eric, through a mouthful of cereal. "Looks like you need it, man." Edward rubbed his temples with his forefingers, as if trying to erase the excruciating pain. He felt his stomach lurch. _Oh god, no._ He held his breath and tried not to move a muscle, waiting for the wave of nausea to pass. Eric, seemingly oblivious to his agony, continued to chew happily on his breakfast.

Leah walked in with a steaming cup of black coffee. "Good morning, sunshine," she whispered, passing the mug to Edward. "How's the head?"

"Broken," mumbled Edward, staring into the hot, dark liquid. He couldn't bring himself to even try and drink it. He didn't think it would taste so good coming back up again.

"What the hell got into you last night? Apart from the whiskey, that is." Leah perched on the arm of the sofa and gently rubbed Edward's head. He leaned into her and groaned. "Do we have to talk about this now?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, handing Edward his glasses, which she'd taken off him and left on the coffee table last night. "I'm just worried about you, Edward. I've never seen you drink like that before. I mean, I know you're a lightweight, but you usually know your limits. That bottle of whiskey was empty before we left here. So tell me – what's up?"

Edward put on his glasses and squinted his eyes. _How was it possible for the room to spin even more now he could see properly?_ He looked round at Eric, not wanting to pour his heart out in front of that moron. Eric just grinned a stupid smile. "Oh, don't worry about me, bro. You can say anything in front of me. I'm the definition of discretion." He'd put down his cereal bowl and was starting to roll a massive joint.

"What Eric's trying to say," explained Leah, "is that he'll have forgotten anything he hears within the hour. He has a mind like a sieve." Eric beamed and nodded proudly.

"Ugh," moaned Edward. "Okay. It's just… it's Bella." Just saying her name felt like a release, a weight off his shoulders. He was usually so open with Leah when it came to talking about girls he liked, but for some reason he'd kept his feelings for Bella to himself, like a secret he was nursing close to his heart.

"So, you like the girl. Tell me something I don't know," smiled Leah, laughing at the look of shock on her best friend's face. "C'mon Edward, it's pretty obvious. You never stop talking about her. 'Bella this, Bella that.' And I've seen the way you look at her. It's clear you've got it bad. Oh, and let's not forget the fact that you told Bella and Alice I was a fan of some band I'd never even heard of so you could drag us out to that shithole of a bar last night. You are so busted, Edward Cullen!"

Edward sighed, defeated. "God, Leah, you know me too well. I don't know why I bother trying to keep anything from you. She's… I don't know… there's just something about her."

"No, Edward, I get it, I really do. She's hot, talented, smart, fun. And did I mention she was hot?" Leah laughed. "But that doesn't explain the drinking. I know you're not the most confident of guys around women. But you must know Bella quite well by now - you can't possibly be shy around her."

"No, you're right. I'm not shy around Bella. In fact, she's one of the few women I feel really comfortable around. I can just be myself, you know?" Edward dropped his head into his hands. The throbbing was getting worse. He took a deep breath. "We were on the shoot and this guy – the model – asked Bella to go and see that band with him. So I told them you were a huge fan and basically invited us along with them."

Leah burst out laughing. "What! Edward, you gatecrashed their date? You little shit!"

"What was I supposed to do? Okay, don't answer that. I know it was a stupid thing to do. But when I heard him ask her out, something in me just snapped. I was jealous, I guess. I had to do something."

"Fighting for your woman, man. That's cool." Eric was looking at Edward like a nodding dog, a fat reefer hanging out of his mouth.

"No one asked for your opinion, Yorkie," said Leah. "But Eric has a point. I didn't know you had it in you, Edward. You're usually so passive. You must really like this girl. So, I guess you got so drunk because you'd idiotically just signed up for a night out with Bella and her hunky date." Edward nodded, painfully.

"Spare me the lecture, please Leah. I'm suffering enough."

"Edward, I'm not going to tell you off. You're an adult, you're big enough and ugly enough to make your own mistakes. But if you really like Bella this much, don't you think you should maybe take a different approach? Like asking her out on your own date rather than gatecrashing someone else's?"

"It's not that simple, Leah. Firstly, she's kind of my boss. Secondly, I don't even know if she's interested in me. And thirdly, she's just got over the most horrendous of break-ups."

"Oh, the pink strap-on dude," said Eric, knowingly. Edward looked at him in surprise, before turning on Leah. She shrugged. "What? That story was too good to keep to myself."

Edward, too hungover to get mad, continued, "And then there's the fact that I probably made such a complete ass of myself last night that Bella probably wants nothing to do with me, on a professional or personal level." He groaned again.

Leah chuckled and ruffled Edward's hair. "Don't worry, you weren't that bad. Apart from the bit where you pulled down your pants and mooned Bella and Alice on your way out…" Edward's head flew up in shock, a look of horror on his poor face. "Ha ha, I'm just kidding, Edward! Chillax! Seriously, if Bella is still speaking to you after your little karaoke stunt from the other week, you have nothing to worry about."

"I should probably call her to apologise," said Edward, reaching for his cell phone on the coffee table. There was a text message. From Bella. _Oh crap_, he thought, his stomach churning. He read the message out loud to Leah: "'Hey Edward, I guess you won't get this 'til the morning but just checking in to see if you're okay. You were pretty twisted last night! Hope the head doesn't hurt too bad! Bella. Kiss.' Oh my god, Leah, she put a kiss. What do you think that means?"

"I think that means you should stop being a girl and over-analysing text messages. She's obviously been thinking about you, though – that's a good sign."

"I need to see her, to say sorry for last night," said Edward, standing up with determination and having to sit straight back down again as his head felt like it was going to spin right off his shoulders.

"Whoa, steady on there, Eddie!" smiled Leah. "Don't you think you should at least take a shower first? I don't think stale alcohol and bedhead is the way to a woman's heart."

"Fine," grumbled Edward. "But then I'm going straight round to Bella's. You're right, Leah. I need to take a different tact. I'm going to tell her how I feel."

* * *

**A/N: Some of you had been asking if there would be an Edward POV - so while I don't really write from POV, I hope you like this little insight into Edward's side of the story. Looking forward to reading your reviews! x**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, folks! Please keep 'em coming. I love to hear what you think as the story progresses. :)**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Edward took a swig from his water bottle as he approached Bella's apartment building. It didn't do much to ease his throbbing head and churning stomach. He adjusted his glasses, hoping he didn't look as bad as he felt. Leah had tried to persuade him to wait until he was feeling better before he spoke to Bella, but he knew it was now or never. He had to bite the bullet. As he got closer to the front door, he saw a familiar blonde figure pressing the buzzer. "Rosalie?"

She turned around. "Oh, hi Edward. Are you here to see Bella? I didn't realise you guys were friends."

"I could say the same to you," he grinned, awkwardly, running his hand through his scruffy hair. "I didn't think you two were on speaking terms at the moment." Edward still wasn't entirely sure what Bella and Rosalie had fallen out over. He couldn't believe Bella was still mad at her friend over the business with Emmett, but he knew women could be hyper-sensitive about things sometimes, so maybe that was it.

"Not that it's any of your business, but that's why I'm here. I've been trying to apologise for days, but Bella hasn't been answering or returning my calls. I figured she couldn't ignore me if I showed up in person." Rosalie looked up sadly at the buzzer. "I guess I was wrong."

"Maybe she's out," suggested Edward, feeling a rush of disappointment mixed with relief. He'd been building himself up to confront Bella on the journey over here, but now he'd arrived his nerves were getting the better of him. Perhaps fate had stepped in and let him off the hook.

"No," Rosalie shook her head. "Bella answered the first time I buzzed. She told me now 'wasn't a good time', whatever that means. I know she's just trying to avoid me but I'm not leaving until she lets me in." Edward suddenly felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that had nothing to do with his hangover. _Maybe Bella's date with Liam had been a success._ Such a success that they'd ended up doing the horizontal Riverdance back at Bella's apartment last night – and maybe a repeat performance this morning. _Was Liam still at Bella's apartment? _Edward resisted the urge to heave. He took a sip of his water and tried to calm the feelings of anger building up inside him like bile. He turned to leave when the front door suddenly opened.

"You!" spat Rosalie, as a blond guy looking about as rough as Edward felt walked out of the apartment building.

"Rosalie," the guy muttered, putting his head down and shoving his hands into his pockets as he tried to walk past her. She reached out with lightning speed and grabbed his arm.

"Not so fast, Mike!" she said venomously. "Don't think you can just walk out of Bella's apartment without so much as an explanation. What the actual fuck are you doing here, asshole?" Edward's ears pricked up as he heard Rosalie say the guy's name. _Mike. Bella's ex. The pink strap-on jerk. _Suddenly he wasn't in such a hurry to leave. He needed to know what was going on.

"Jesus, Rosalie, would you ever give me a break? I feel shitty enough as it is," grumbled Mike, trying to pull away from her vice-like grip. Edward could see Rose's blood red fingernails digging into the skin on Mike's arm. He hoped it hurt. Even if it didn't, he was pretty sure the hard slap round the face she gave him did.

"Give you a break? Are you for real, Mike? You really think you deserve a fucking break after everything you've done? You break Bella's heart into a million tiny fragments and then leave the scene of the crime quicker than you can say 'pink dildo.' Well, while you were off playing 'hide the sausage' with your little slutbag of a PA, some of us were left behind to put Bella back together, piece by broken piece. So forgive me if I'm not about to sit by and watch you shatter her all over again."

Edward watched as Mike gulped, rubbed his cheek and turned a darker shade of green. "Look Rose, just take a fucking chill pill, okay? Bella doesn't need you to fight all her battles. She just kicked me out. Literally." Edward felt a little laugh escape his lips, as he imagined Bella throwing this ass-hat out onto the street. "Oh, you think that's funny, do you?" said Mike, breaking away from Rosalie and squaring up to Edward.

"Actually, yes," replied Edward, standing up straighter so he was looking down at Mike. His head was still spinning and his stomach was in bits, but he wasn't about to let that stop him from telling Mike what he thought of him. "I also think you're a dick."

"Excuse me, Specs?" snarled Mike. "But who the fuck are you to have an opinion about me?"

"I'm a friend of Bella's. And you'll never know what you've done to that poor girl. But I do. So if I want to call you a dick, I will. You're a dick."

The blow landed squarely in Edward's gut before he knew what was happening. Bella's ex had lashed out with a closed fist, sending the churning contents of Edward's stomach straight up his gullet and out of his mouth, spraying Mike with a shower of vomit. Mike let out a strangled scream of disgust. Edward could hear Rosalie laughing in the background. He didn't know whether it was because the alcohol was now expelled from his body, or because Mike was covered in his puke, but Edward suddenly felt much better. He wiped his mouth and smiled at Rosalie, who was wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Way to go, Edward!" she cheered. "It's nothing more than this twat deserves. Get out of here, Mike. And don't even think about coming back." Mike skulked off without so much as a goodbye, angrily wiping Edward's vomit from his face as he left. "Are you okay, Edward? While I know the sight of that idiot would make anyone want to throw up, I'm guessing that's not what made you puke."

"Er, no. I overdid the drink a little bit last night. But funnily enough, I'm feeling much better now," he laughed. "We should probably go see if Bella's all right."

"I'll go. I expect she'll be a mess. She'll only want her best friends around her right now. I'll call in Alice for reinforcements. You should go home and clean yourself up."

"It's okay, Rosalie. I'd really like to see if she's all right. I'm worried about her." Edward thought back to other day in Bella's apartment, the pain he could see in her eyes as she'd told him about Mike. He just wanted to hold her in his arms again, to stroke her long hair and make everything right.

"Look, Edward, I'll text you and let you know. I have your number."

Edward sighed. He knew Rosalie wasn't going to budge on this. "Fine. But tell her I was here to see her, will you?"

"Sure," said Rose, with a tight smile. "Now I think it's time you went back to bed, Edward. No offence, but you really look like shit."

oOo

"Jessica dumped him. That's why he was here." Bella pulled the bed covers closer around her neck and stared numbly at the ceiling.

"What? That asshole! Ugh, I wish I'd know that when I saw him downstairs. I would have kicked him in the balls so hard… Except he probably would have enjoyed that." Rosalie made a fist and punched the palm of her other hand in frustration. "So you're telling me that whore dumped his sorry ass, he got drunk and came straight round here, grovelling for you to take him back?"

"Yup," answered Bella, simply. She felt emotionally – and after a sleepless night, physically - drained and didn't have the energy to elaborate. She just wanted to drift off into a dreamless sleep and forget about everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.

"God, Bella, I'm so sorry," said Rose, stroking her friend's hair. "But you should be so proud of yourself for staying strong, for kicking him out."

"That's just it, Rose. I wasn't strong, not at first." She told Rosalie how Mike had turned up the night before, how she'd nearly given in to the pull of happy memories and old, familiar feelings. How she'd let him stay and been prepared to hear him out in the morning. "If he hadn't let slip that he'd come round because Jessica ditched him, he could still be here now. I'm an idiot, Rose. A complete idiot." Bella broke down in tears of frustration and regret.

"Don't say that, Bella," said Rosalie, sternly. "Don't you dare put even an inch of blame on yourself. This is all Mike's fault, every last bit of it. He had no right to show up here, no right to mess with your feelings. At least he got what he deserved earlier…" Rose grinned wickedly.

"What are you talking about?" asked Bella.

"Your new 'friend' Edward threw up all over him outside. It was fucking hilarious! You should have seen the look on Mike's face." Rose chuckled at the memory.

"Wait – Edward was here?" Bella sat up and wiped away the tears. "What- why was he here?"

"Bella, I just told you your motherfucker of an ex-boyfriend got puked on and you just want to know about _Edward_? I thought you didn't even like the guy?"

"I don't. I mean, I didn't. It's only… he was really drunk at the bar last night and I just wanted to know if he's okay."

"Well, he was just fine until Mike punched him in the stomach and made him blow chunks."

"Mike hit him?" Bella felt a pang of concern for Edward. There'd been plenty of times when she'd wanted to give him a smack herself, but she didn't like the idea of someone really hitting him.

"Yeah, right after Edward called him a dick," laughed Rose. Bella gasped and couldn't help but smile weakly. She never knew Edward had such balls. He really was going up in her estimation day by day. "Now come on, Bella," said Rosalie, soothingly. "Try and get some sleep."

Bella closed her eyes, worried she would see Mike's face etched on the inside of her eyelids. Instead, she saw nothing but the crooked smile of Edward Cullen.


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Bella took a deep breath and tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach. She didn't know why she was so nervous. It was only Edward. He'd been round her apartment before. So why did this time feel so different?

It had been a couple of days since Mike's unexpected visit and she was still feeling rocked by the whole thing. Rosalie and Alice had been great – again – at trying to get her back on track, but she didn't yet trust herself to be left alone with her own emotions. She needed company, someone to distract her from her broken heart. Alice was out on a date with Jasper this evening – it turned out they'd really clicked at the bar and were desperate to see each other again. And while Rose had been a comfort after the initial shock of Mike's reappearance in her life, Bella still hadn't fully forgiven her. So she'd pulled out her phone to call someone… and was surprised to find the one person she'd wanted to see was Edward.

She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he'd been so understanding when she'd first told him about her break-up from Mike. Maybe it was his ever-sunny outlook on life. Maybe it was because she could just be herself around him – no Rosalie telling her that everything can be fixed with a good screw; no Alice encouraging her to find love again. None of that mattered with Edward. He just wanted her to be happy, whatever that took.

Now he was on his way over to "hang out" and Bella felt inexplicably anxious. She mentally scolded herself. _Don't be ridiculous, Bella. It's just Edward Cullen. Annoying, cock-blocking, dorky Cullen. Who you might find a tiny bit cute. _She tried to ignore the last comment from her sub-conscious, and wiped off the lipstick she'd just applied. She didn't want to look like she was making an effort or anything…

oOo

"Edward, hi!" said Bella, opening the door to her apartment. She suddenly froze, caught in the uncomfortable moment of not knowing how to greet someone. Edward leaned forward, apparently going in for a hug, so Bella mirrored his movement only to realise at the last minute he was just taking his backpack off. _Awkward. _

"Hey Bella," replied Edward. "How are you feeling?" He looked like he really cared about the answer. Bella felt a little tug on her heartstrings. He really was such a sweet guy.

"I've been better," she shrugged. "I'll survive, though. Anyway, I believe I should be thanking you for giving Mike such a good send off the other day." She smirked.

"Aw, it was nothing," joked Edward, looking a little embarrassed at the memory. "You know, any time you need me to puke on an ex-boyfriend, just give me a call."

Bella laughed and shook her head, leading Edward through to the sitting room. "Seriously though, Edward. Thanks for coming round to hang out. It's just… difficult to be on my own right now."

"Hey, no problem, Bella. I totally understand. I'm kind of flattered that you thought of me, to be honest." He took off his jacket to reveal a navy blue t-shirt with some kind of logo on the front, a white star inside white and red circles. _Probably another comic book thing_, thought Bella. She couldn't help but notice this t-shirt was a little tighter than the ones Edward usually wore, and she was surprised to see the outline of his muscles bulging through.

"Well, you were my eleventh choice," she deadpanned, handing Edward a bottle of beer. "Everyone else bailed on me. So you'll have to do."

"Oh, well in that case…" laughed Edward, making to leave. "I'm just kidding." He sat down on the couch and opened his backpack, pulling out a flat green box. "So, it's kind of nerdy, but I hear nothing takes your mind of an asshole ex-boyfriend like a game of Scrabble."

"Scrabble?" laughed Bella. "Are you serious?"

"Deadly." He fixed Bella with a serious look. She could feel herself flush a little at the intensity of his stare, the golden flecks in his eyes flashing behind the lenses of his glasses. "And this isn't just ordinary Scrabble. This is _Dirty _Scrabble_."_

Bella threw her head back with laughter. "What? I've never heard of that before, Edward. You totally made that up."

He shook his head slowly. "Bella, Bella, Bella. The only reason you haven't heard of it before is because the first rule of Dirty Scrabble is: you do not talk about Dirty Scrabble. The second rule of Dirty Scrabble is: any words are allowed as long as they're rude."

"Okay Cullen, that sounds simple enough," said Bella, sitting up straighter on the sofa. "Bring it on!"

Edward chuckled, took a swig of his beer and set up the board. He kicked off the game with the word O-R-G-Y. Bella looked at her letters and used the 'O' of Edward's word to spell out F-O-L-D-S. "Folds?" he asked, puzzled. "What the hell is 'folds'? Do I need to explain the rules to you again, Bella?"

"You know, like, 'He ran his finger through her silky folds.'" Edward looked at her blankly. "Her vajajay," she explained, not without a little embarrassment. "You always read crap like that in erotic fiction."

"Oh, and you read a lot of erotic fiction, do you?" asked Edward, raising an eyebrow, a smirk on his face.

"Only when I get desperate," Bella winked, causing Edward to chuckle as he wrote down her score on the little notepad that came with the game.

Several bottles of beer later, Edward was well in the lead after an impressive scoring B-U-T-T-S-E-X (on a triple word square), and the pair of them were in fits of hysterical laughter at every new word they laid down on the board. Mike felt like a distant memory to Bella; she hadn't had this much fun in a long time.

Bella studied Edward's face as he pondered his letters to make the next word. He really was quite beautiful. She was surprised she hadn't noticed before. _That may have something to do with the fact that every time you see him there's a naked male model wandering around_, a voice in her head reminded her. She laughed a little to herself at the thought.

"What's so funny?" asked Edward, running his hand through his messy bronze hair.

"Oh, er… I was just thinking what a great jawline you have," Bella admitted, too flustered to come up with a good lie.

"Ok-aaay," said Edward, slowly, taking a swig of his beer and drawing his eyebrows together in confusion. "Thanks, I guess. Did I mention you have a really lovely elbow?"

Bella laughed and threw one of the sofa cushions at him, which he ducked to avoid. "Don't make fun of me, Edward! I was only trying to pay you a compliment." He grinned, secretly pleased, and laid down his tiles to spell out L-I-C-K. The word conjured up a sudden image in Bella's mind, an imagined feeling of Edward's tongue on her naked skin, which crept up on her before she could think of something else. She could feel herself blush and hoped he didn't notice. She surreptitiously looked up from the board to checking he wasn't looking at her. He was. Intently.

She swallowed, and quickly put down her own tiles to make up the first word she could think of. S-U-C-K. Now it was Edward's turn to look flushed. The silence between them was tangible. What had started out as a funny game had somehow just taken a serious twist. Edward took a gulp from his bottle and noted down Bella's score, his eyes suddenly unable to meet hers. Bella picked up her own drink and took a sip, willing the chill of the cold beer to bring some much needed clarity to the fuzz of thoughts and emotions swirling round her head. _Was she having a 'moment' with Edward Cullen? _

Edward held the drawstring bag of tiles over to her so she could pull out some more letters. Only a few little plastic squares were left, so as Bella rooted around to pick them out, she could feel the heat of Edward's hand through the thin cloth of the bag. She felt her pulse quicken at the thought of looking up and meeting his eyes, both terrified and strangely hopeful of what she might see reflected in them. She didn't dare. Instead, she quickly placed her new tiles on the letter rack and kept her eyes fixed on them.

"Oh crap. I got a Q."

Edward burst out laughing, the weird tension between them broken almost as suddenly as it had appeared. "Bella, you're not supposed to tell me what letters you get!"

"Like it matters," she smiled, relieved to be joking around with him again. "You're winning by a mile. But seriously, there are no rude words containing a Q. Not one. Ugh, I give up!"

"You're admitting defeat? Come on, Bella, I thought you of all people had a bit more fight in you than that." Bella noticed a tenderness in Edward's voice when he said that.

"What can I say, Edward? You're the king of dirty words!"

"Amen to that!" laughed Edward, holding forward his beer bottle to clink it with Bella's. She took a drink and settled back into the couch, a sudden wave of tiredness washing over her. She yawned and checked her watch. It was pretty late.

"Sorry, am I keeping you up?" asked Edward.

"No, it's just, I haven't slept very well the past couple of days, what with Mike and everything. I've just been too stressed out to sleep. I think it's finally catching up with me."

"Well, I don't want to keep you up," said Edward, packing away the Scrabble. He paused, as if waiting for Bella to say something. She almost did. Part of her didn't want Edward to leave. He'd been a brilliant distraction – she'd barely thought about the incident with Mike all evening. And, if she was being really honest with herself, she'd actually enjoyed spending time with Edward. He made her feel… she wasn't sure what exactly. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. But she knew it felt good. Like the moment the sun bursts through dark storm clouds after weeks of rain.

But she was shattered, and she finally thought she would be able to get some sleep. With a heavy heart, she didn't protest at Edward leaving. She thought she might be imagining the look of disappointment on his face when he said, "Thanks for inviting me round, Bella. It's been really fun."

"Yeah," said Bella. It _had _been really fun. "We should do it again sometime."

"Oh, a re-match? You think you can take me on and steal my crown, huh?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely."

oOo

Lying in bed that night, Bella found herself still unable to sleep, despite the exhaustion she felt. But it was no longer her turmoil over Mike keeping her awake. Something else was nagging at her. Something she didn't feel quite ready to deal with.

Her phone beeped and she reached over to pick it up from her bedside locker – probably Alice telling her what a great date she'd had with Jasper. Bella unlocked the screen and pulled up the text message.

"Quim."

It was from Edward. What the hell? Then she remembered the game. A rude word with the letter 'Q.' She laughed to herself.

"Can you use it in a sentence please?" she typed and hit 'send.'

A few seconds later, the reply came through: "I want to run my fingers through the silky folds of your Quim."

Bella felt a flush of feelings she never thought she'd associate with Edward Cullen. She typed out a quick message and sent it before she could change her mind: "As long as I can touch your Quivering member."

His reply popped up almost immediately: "Only if we make it a Quickie. ;)"

"OK, I Quit (again). Goodnight Edward. X"

"Goodnight Bella. X"

* * *

**A/N: Hmmm, methinks someone is finally opening their eyes to the hotness that is Edward Cullen! What do you guys think? Let me know in a review! Reviews will get teasers for the next chapter... and Mr July is just around the corner!**

**Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

**UPDATE: I'm honoured to have been nominated for Favourite Newbie Author in the Twific Fandom Awards. Voting is open until November 2nd - please vote for me at twificfandomawards. ****blogspot. com!**


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N: The next chapter is finally here - sorry it took so long to post. I struggled a bit with this chapter and am still not really happy with it, but probably just because (like you guys) I just want B & E to get together already! Bear with me though, things will go a little differently with the next six Calendar Guys than with the first six. Make of that what you will! **

**To everyone who reviewed the last chapter: I realise your teasers were sent not long before the chapter was posted, so I will send you all teasers for the next chapter too!**

**Finally, I am thrilled to have been nominated as Favourite Newbie Author in the TwiFic Fandom Awards - voting is open until 2 Nov so I'd love it if you could vote for me at twificfandomawards. blogspot. com!**

* * *

**Chapter 22 – Mr. July**

"So how did your date with Jasper go?" asked Bella.

"Oh, it was good," smiled Alice, as she loaded up the van with equipment for the latest photo shoot.

"Just 'good'?" asked Bella, who had been expecting a gush of details.

"Uh-huh," Alice nodded.

Realisation dawned on Bella. Alice, considerate as always, didn't want to rub Bella's nose in her newfound romance after everything that had happened with Mike. Bella felt a pang of guilt – had she really been that selfish not to ask Alice about her date until now? "Alice, I know what you're doing and you need to stop that right now. If you're deliriously happy – which I suspect you are – you don't need to keep it from me just to save my feelings. You're my best friend, Alice. If you've found the guy of your dreams I want to hear every last detail. Just because my love life is a total clusterfuck, that doesn't mean I don't want you to be happy."

Alice let out a huge sigh of relief, as if she'd been struggling to even breathe around Bella without hurting her feelings, and threw her arms around her friend. "Oh Bella, it was _amazing_!" she squealed, as Bella picked her up and spun her around in celebration. "Jasper is such a gentleman. We have so much in common. And he's sooo gorgeous! I think he could be The One, Bells."

Bella smiled as she released Alice from their embrace. She really was happy for her. She'd had other friends who had pronounced every new man in their life as 'The One', usually re-labelling him as 'The Bastard' within the year. But Alice was notoriously picky about the men she got close to and took her time getting serious. For her to be this deeply into Jasper already meant there must be something special about him. "So tell me everything, Alice. Where did he take you? What did you talk about? Did he kiss you? I need details!"

Alice started her story from the very beginning, from the point her and Jasper had starting talking in the bar. She'd deliberately kept quiet about it until now, thinking – quite rightly - it would be the last thing Bella wanted to hear about after Mike gatecrashed her evening with Garrett. _I probably wouldn't have listened even if she did tell me then_, thought Bella. Her fun night with Edward had really snapped her out of the funk she'd been in and now she was ready to hear everything and share in her friend's delight.

Just as Edward popped into her thoughts, he suddenly appeared by her side, his camera pointed at Alice. "Edward, what are you doing?" asked Alice, as the shutter of the camera clicked away.

"Just taking a couple of snaps for my collection," he grinned. "Your face is the epitome of 'Happiness' right now." Alice blushed prettily.

"He's right, you know," Bella said, fondly. "Love really suits you."

"Oh, shut up, you two!" said Alice, playfully punching both of them in the arm. "No one said anything about _love_."

"Yet," teased Edward, exchanging a conspiratorial look with Bella, who'd started singing 'Alice and Jasper, sitting in a tree...' She grinned back at him. It was usually Alice and Edward ganging up to tease _her_. It felt good to be his partner in crime for a change.

"So where is Mr. July anyway?" asked Alice, looking at her watch.

"Nice try at changing the subject, Alice," joked Edward.

"Seriously, though," said Alice, "we've got a long drive ahead of us. If he doesn't get here soon, we'll be working in the dark." They had borrowed a van from Leah's roommate, Eric, and were driving out to the countryside for an _al fresco_ photo shoot for July. There was a chill in the fall air, but the sun was shining and Bella was hoping the evergreen trees in the forest they were going to would disguise the real season and give the shoot a summery feel.

Bella looked up to see a handsome, dark-haired figure in a leather jacket walking towards them. "I think this could be him now."

oOo

The model's name was Jacob Black. He had eyes like pools of molten chocolate and a lazy smile that lit up his whole face. After coming through a dark few days emotionally, Bella was starting to feel refreshed and hopeful, and she found that Jacob's sunny demeanour matched her new mood perfectly. She could feel his infectious grin reflected on her own face as she looked at him across the backseat of the van, which smelt of stale weed and feet. She hoped he hadn't noticed.

Edward was driving and Bella – despite calling 'shotgun' - had relinquished the front passenger seat to Alice after remembering her friend's problems with motion sickness. She didn't want Jacob to be forced to take his clothes off earlier than strictly necessary because Alice had puked all over him. _Other people's vomit was a treat specially reserved for Mike Newton. _

She'd initially been a little disappointed that she wouldn't get to spend the long drive riding up front with Edward – as much as the self-revelation had shocked her. They'd been texting each other constantly since the Dirty Scrabble night, funny little quips and private jokes that never failed to put a smile on her face. Edward had even given her a Starbucks coffee with a giant letter 'Q' scrawled on the cup that morning and had refused to tell Alice what it meant, despite her persistent nagging. She loved that they shared a little secret, as silly as it was. Their friendship was blossoming, and Bella was finding it hard to believe she'd taken such an instant dislike to Edward in the first place. So she'd been looking forward to spending some more time getting to know him better over the next couple of hours on the way to the shoot location. Instead, she was squashed in the back of the van with a male model and a motorbike. _It could be a lot worse_, Bella thought to herself, as Jacob Black took off his leather jacket to reveal a bulging set of muscles straining against a tight black t-shirt. _A lot worse._

"So how long have you been modelling, Jacob?" she asked, trying to make conversation while Alice puzzled over the map and gave Edward directions.

"Actually, this is my first proper job," he grinned, clutching on to the sides of the van to steady himself as Edward turned a corner a little too sharply. "So you're about to pop my cherry, so to speak." He winked at her flirtatiously.

"Well, you're in capable hands, so don't be nervous. I'll be gentle," Bella found herself flirting back. Jacob seemed like the sort of guy who would flirt carelessly with everybody, but she couldn't help enjoying it anyway. After six failed attempts at bedding the calendar guys, Bella had made the decision to give up on Rosalie's challenge. But that didn't mean she couldn't have a bit of harmless fun flirting. _Especially with someone as cute as Jacob_.

"Oh, I'm not nervous," he replied. "I was born ready. This body has been kept under wraps for too long. It's time to share it with the world. Well, at least with the readers of _Eclipse_ magazine." He flexed his biceps and waggled his eyebrows at Bella. "I'm kidding, by the way. I haven't felt this terrified since I actually lost my virginity. And I suspect this photo shoot is probably going to last a lot longer than that did."

Bella laughed. This guy was fun. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that she wasn't sitting in the front with Edward.

* * *

**A/N: Uh-oh. Jacob appearing in an E/B fanfic is never good news! That being said, I am looking forward to seeing the eight-pack!**

**Thanks for reading! Poppy xx**


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23 – Mr. July (cont'd)**

"One, two… three, four… five, six… seven, EIGHT! Bella, he has an _eight_-pack. Not just six. Eight!" exclaimed Alice in a loud whisper, as Jacob peeled off his black t-shirt.

"I can count, thanks Alice," Bella giggled. "Now pick your jaw up from the floor. I thought you only had eyes for Jasper these days." She put her finger under her friend's dainty little chin and pretended to push Alice's mouth closed, all the while sneaking a sidelong glance at Jacob's now-naked torso. _Wow. _Emmett and Paul had been muscular, but this was something else. The word _ripped_ sprung to Bella's mind.

"There's nothing wrong with a bit of window shopping," smiled Alice, winking at Bella, as she put away her make-up kit in the van. "Especially when the goods look that hot."

Bella laughed and shook her head, casting a quick glance over to Edward, who was busy setting up the motorcycle in a clearing in the forest, several metres from where he'd parked the van on a muddy track. She was strangely relieved to see he was too engrossed in the task to notice her and Alice checking out the latest model (Jacob, not the bike).

Jacob unbuttoned the fly of his jeans and slid them down, revealing a pair of clingy white boxer shorts that left little to the imagination. "So before I treat you to the Full Monty, where do you want me, Bella?" he called over.

Bella left Alice by the van and walked down to Jacob, Edward and the motorcycle. She could see her breath misting in the chill air and was glad she'd wrapped up warm. She didn't envy Jacob having to strip off in this weather. "We'll try some shots with you sitting on the bike first, to see how that works. And remember, if you get too cold, just holler and we can take a break."

"Sure, sure," shrugged Jacob, resting a hand on the motorbike behind him, which Edward was trying to put into position. "I'm pretty hot-blooded so I doubt that'll be necessary. Unless you're offering to warm me up, of course. _That_ would be worth freezing for." The smile in Jacob's dark eyes wasn't reflected on his face, so Bella wasn't sure if he was joking or not. She felt her cheeks flush and forced out a laugh to lighten the situation. She'd never felt more aware of Edward's proximity.

All of a sudden Jacob flew forward, a look of shock on his face, and crash-landed into Bella, knocking her to the ground. "Shit, sorry!" she heard Edward cry out from somewhere above her. "The bike fell! Are you guys okay?"

Bella looked up to Jacob grinning just inches away from her face, as he lay on top of her, his bare legs tangled with hers. The last time this had happened it had been Edward in Jacob's place. Instinctively, she reached her hands up to steady him, touching the smooth skin of his muscled arms. "Oh, I am more than okay," he said, looking pointedly down at Bella, who could feel herself blushing more than ever. She was conscious of something hard digging into her hip, and was even more conscious of the fact that Jacob didn't have any pockets. After throwing herself at the past six male models, this calendar guy was literally throwing himself at her.

Jacob didn't seem to be in any hurry to pick himself up - whether due to embarrassment over his apparent erection, or just because he was enjoying their compromising position, Bella didn't know. But before she had time to ask him to get up, a pair of pale hands wrapped around Jacob's broad shoulders and tried to pull him off her. "Sorry, man," apologised Edward, as he heaved Jacob up. "I didn't realise how heavy that bike was. I let it get away from me."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I think I might have scraped the back of my leg, but other than that, no damage done." Edward wasn't listening. He was crouched down checking Bella wasn't hurt.

"Are you sure you don't want to go and sit in the van for a while?" he asked, his face a picture of concern. "Maybe I could take some of the photos? Give you a break."

"Edward, honestly, I'm fine. It was just more of a shock than anything." Bella wasn't sure if she was talking about the fall or Jacob's arousal digging into her hip.

"Okay, well, only if you're sure," said Edward, tenderly, taking both of Bella's hands in his to pull her to her feet. His hands were cool, with a surprisingly firm grip.

"I'm sure. Thanks Edward." Bella smiled, as she straightened her legs into a standing position, letting Edward hold her for a moment longer than strictly necessary. She felt her heart flutter as he raised his eyes from their linked hands and looked straight into hers, his lips curled into a sheepish grin when he realised he hadn't let go. _What the hell was happening? _

"Oh my god, are you guys okay?" called Alice, running over from the van. "I heard a crash."

"The bike fell on Jacob, then Jacob fell on me," explained Bella, pulling away from Edward, relieved at Alice's interruption. She wasn't ready to even try and answer the question that had just formed in her mind. She needed to focus and get back to work. "We both survived though, didn't we, Jacob?"

"We sure did. Who knew near death experiences could be so _exciting_, eh?" He grinned wolfishly and winked at Bella. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination but she could have sworn Edward just stiffened next to her. _And not in a good way._

"All right, let's do this," said Bella, clapping her hands together and getting her camera ready. "Jacob, do you want to…?"

"Sure. Let's get this party started," he said, whipping down his boxer shorts and flinging them to the side dramatically. Bella daren't look to see if he was still 'excited.' She waited until Jacob was sitting astride the bike, which Edward had quickly pulled back up into position, and looked at him through the safety barrier of the camera lens. She couldn't deny how attractive he was.

"Okay Jacob, so I want you to look straight down the camera like you want to jump my bones or something," said Bella.

"That shouldn't be too difficult," Jacob smirked, fixing his dark brown eyes hungrily on Bella through the camera. Considering it was his first modelling job, she was impressed. Any nerves Jacob had spoken of in the van seem to have completely disappeared – he oozed self-confidence and Bella was sure she would get some great pictures. She had a feeling that July was going to last a lot longer next year for some _Eclipse _magazine readers.

After the long drive out to the forest and with the fall evenings drawer in earlier and earlier each day, Bella knew she wouldn't have much time to get the shots in while the sun was still bright enough to pass for summer. She was also conscious of poor Jacob catching his death of cold. He'd bragged about not feeling the chill, but she herself was freezing despite being wrapped up in a warm winter jacket and scarf. She worked quickly and was delighted to see Jacob was smouldering in every shot. In no time at all Bella was ready to call it a wrap.

"Bella, can I have a word?" It was Edward. He'd been quiet all afternoon; Bella had been so ensconced in her work that she hadn't noticed until now. _He's probably just frozen too_, she thought with a shiver. "You know I mentioned earlier about taking some of the photos for you. Well, I'd actually really like to do that. I mean, you don't have to use them or anything, but I'd love to get some shots for my portfolio."

"Uh, okay, I guess," said Bella, slightly taken aback that Edward would want to photograph a naked guy. "Just make it quick. It's so cold out here. I think Jacob's starting to turn blue." She could see the goosebumps on his honey-coloured skin from here.

"Oh, you're man enough to stick it out for a few more pictures, aren't you, Jacob?" Edward called out with a grin. Bella noticed Jacob flexing his huge pecs as he nodded, all the while trying to stop his teeth from chattering. _Male pride_, she thought with an inward smile. Edward took the camera from her and starting snapping away. Bella used the opportunity of a break to try and warm herself up, stamping her feet and blowing her warm breath into her hands. It didn't do much good. Her extremities felt like ice. She hated to think what state Jacob's 'extremity' was in.

"Come on, Edward. Let's call it a day. I think I'm getting frostbite here," she grumbled. She could see Jacob getting more and more uncomfortable, the earlier look of lust replaced with an almost pained expression.

"Okay," Edward said, lowering the camera. "It's a wrap. Thanks Jacob. Hope you've still got feeling in your… toes." He grinned wickedly.

"Hey Bella," called Jacob, ignoring Edward. "Is that offer still on for you to warm me up? I might need you to help me get the circulation started again in certain parts of my body." He raised his eyebrows suggestively. The smile on Edward's face dropped almost as immediately as it had appeared.

Jacob clambered off the bike, his body stiff from the cold and walked over to where he'd thrown his underwear at the start of the shoot. Bella couldn't help notice the chill air had not been kind to him. She stifled a snigger, feeling guilty for laughing at his misfortune but at the same time feeling he kind of deserved it after his (literal) cockiness earlier.

Before Jacob had the chance to collect his boxers, a chorus of giggles erupted from the direction of the van. Bella looked over to see a group of hikers – all women of a certain age – who had gathered to enjoy the view. _Oh god, poor Jacob!_ Her feet felt glued to the spot; she couldn't think what to do. Luckily Edward's brain was working a little faster. "Move along now please, ladies. Nothing to see here!" he called out, charmingly, swiftly pulling off his jacket and throwing it over to Jacob to protect his modesty.

"Thanks man," said a clearly mortified Jacob, who hurriedly wrapped the coat around his waist and ran up to the safety of the van, where Alice had opened the back doors to bundle him in. Disappointed the show was over, the party of hikers started to leave, chattering excitedly in high-pitched voices as they went.

Edward chuckled as he started to move the bike back to the van. "At least those women will have a fun story to share at their next quilting club meeting. I'm guessing Jacob's feeling a _little_ embarrassed right about now though. But it was only a _tiny _incident. He'll get over it. Poor guy."

"Say it like you mean it, why don't you?" said Bella, sarcastically. She couldn't help but think Edward was being a little mean. And it seemed really out of character for him. _What was his problem with Jacob? _She wracked her brains as she packed up her equipment._ Could he be…? No, surely not. And yet… Was Edward… jealous?_

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who is still reading & reviewing. Your reviews make my life (sad as that is!). To everyone on Twitter, come on over and join me at popsicle99 - I'll follow you right back!**


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 – Mr. July (cont'd)**

"Well, that was one way to lose my modelling virginity," quipped Jacob, now fully clothed, as he jumped out of the back of the van to help Edward load up the motorcycle.

"The first time's always awkward," joked Edward, as he easily heaved the front of the bike up through the double doors. Bella was surprised at how strong he was, until she remembered the hint of muscle she'd seen beneath his t-shirt on Dirty Scrabble night. She found herself wondering what Edward might look like without his shirt, and quickly quashed the thought.

"I'm just glad it was Bella popping my cherry," said Jacob with a wink, momentarily 'forgetting' he was supposed to be holding the back of the bike and causing Edward to nearly drop it.

"Hey, watch it, man!" scowled Edward. Bella was starting to think more and more that he was jealous of Jacob flirting with her. Now the thought was in her mind, everything he did just seemed to confirm it. What's more, Jacob had apparently noticed it too and was purposely trying to wind Edward up. His flirtatious comments seemed to be just as much directed at Edward as they were Bella. She shook her head in wonder. Two guys fighting over her – this was a new experience. And one she didn't completely hate.

The bike now loaded, Bella climbed into the back with Jacob. He'd pushed the bike to one side, so it was blocking one of the benches running along the inside of the van. Bella had a sneaking suspicion he'd done this on purpose so they would have to sit side by side. She squeezed onto the other bench next to Jacob, their thighs almost touching.

"Sorry about earlier, Jacob. We probably should have found a more secluded spot. I didn't even think we'd be interrupted by hikers." Bella felt partly responsible for the embarrassing scene.

"Hey, don't worry about it. My naked body's going to be plastered over the walls of thousands of _Eclipse_ magazine readers in the New Year – so what if a few old grannies got a sneak preview." Jacob's easy smile was back, his earlier mortification apparently forgotten.

"Have you warmed up yet?" asked Bella, as Edward started the engine.

"Of course. I told you, I'm a hot blooded animal." He cupped his hand gently against Bella's cheek to prove it, his brown eyes locking with hers. "Oh my god, Bella you're, like, ice cold!"

"I think I've caught a bit of chill. I'm sure I'll warm up once we get going," she answered through chattering teeth. "E-Edward, can you turn the heat up please?"

"You got it, boss," Edward called back from the front seat. "It'll take a while to warm up though. We'll need to have the engine running for a bit."

"We can stop for coffee, too," added Alice. "We just have to get back to civilisation first."

"I can warm you up in the meantime," said Jacob, his arms open wide. "Come here."

"Oh no, Jacob, I'll be f-fine. R-really." Bella pulled her jacket closer around herself and tried to stop shivering.

"Bella, please, you're practically turning blue! Let Jacob warm you up." It was Alice, looking back at Bella with a wicked smile and a meaningful raising of her eyebrows.

"Alice, hadn't you better turn and face the front so you don't get car sick?" said Bella crossly, at once annoyed at her friend's interference and a little pleased that she was being pushed into the inviting warmth of Jacob's embrace. "Okay, fine. I am pretty cold." She leaned forward to rest her head on Jacob's broad chest, while he wrapped his big arms around her and pulled her close. She could feel the heat from his body seeping through the thin material of his t-shirt. It felt safe, comforting. _And really fucking good._ She hadn't been held like this since… since Edward had hugged when she first told him about Mike's affair.

The thought of Edward sent a shot of guilt through her heart. If he _was_ jealous of Jacob, this wouldn't be helping matters. She could almost picture his golden eyes staring angrily at Jacob via the rearview mirror.

_Oh, what the hell_, said the devil on her shoulder. _Maybe a healthy dose of jealousy will help him step out of the Friend Zone._ Bella was surprised at her own sub-conscious. Was that what she really wanted? For Edward to make a move on her? Despite her growing awareness of her feelings for Edward, she was still startled to find that she did.

Both pleased and excited by her latest admission to herself, she snuggled closer into Jacob's chest, hungrily soaking up his body heat. She could feel her eyelids growing heavy, and before long the gentle hum of the engine and the steady beat of Jacob's heart had lulled Bella to sleep.

oOoOo

She woke as the van pulled to a standstill, her head still resting on the pillow of Jacob's pecs. Groggily rubbing her eyes, she sat up at looked out of the window. They were already back outside her studio and apartment building. "Are we home already?" she asked through a yawn.

"We sure are, Sleeping Beauty," said Jacob, who was looking very pleased with himself for some reason. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you snored the whole journey."

"Oh my god, no!" Bella was horrified. _How embarrassing!_

"Joke! It was a joke, Bella. Chillax!" laughed Jacob, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

Edward had got out of the front seat and opened the back doors of the van for Bella and Jacob to get out. "Jacob, I would offer you a ride home but I've got to get the van back to Eric for this evening. Sorry man." _You don't sound it_, thought Bella.

"Sure, sure," said Jacob. "No worries, I can make my own way home. Besides, it'll give me a chance to say goodbye to Bella… Oh, and Alice." He smiled sweetly at Edward.

"Okay, cool." He didn't sound 'cool.' "Bella, I'll text you later," Edward added with a glance at Jacob to make sure he'd heard. "You'll have to let me know how my photos turned out." Edward adjusted his glasses in the nervous way Bella had come to know and - dare she say it - love.

"I'm sure they'll be great, Edward," smiled Bella, as she waved him off. She was pleased she had an excuse to speak to him again this evening.

Edward sped away in the van leaving Bella standing on the sidewalk with Alice and Jacob. She was well overdue for a proper catch-up with Alice, so she'd promised to cook her dinner that evening. Jacob didn't look like he was about to leave any time soon and Bella was worried he might invite himself along too. He was such a cocky guy, she wouldn't put it past him.

"So Bella, before I go, I was wondering if I could get your phone number?" he asked. She knew he'd been loitering for something. "I mean, I'm still new to this whole modelling thing so it would be great to get a few more shots for my portfolio. And, uh, I thought maybe we could, you know, go out sometime…."

"She'd love to," said Alice, before Bella could catch her breath. She'd fished one of Bella's business cards out of her handbag and was holding it out to Jacob. He took the card and looked to Bella with his eyebrows raised in question, seeking her approval.

Bella sighed. "Okay. Sure. Why not?" _It wasn't like she had a better offer._

"Great," grinned Jacob, looking like the cat that got the cream. "I'll call you soon, then. Thanks for today, both of you. It was fun. See you around!" With that, he turned on his heel and practically skipped down the road.

"Oh my god!" squealed Alice as soon as Jacob was out of earshot. "Bella, he is sooooo cute!" Bella knew she should be pleased – Jacob was gorgeous, after all – but she couldn't help feeling a sense of guilt. It must have shown on her face. "What's wrong, Bells? Aren't you happy?"

"I don't know, Alice. You know I've given up on this whole challenge thing."

"Come on, Bella. This is different. You know I didn't think trying to get laid was the best way to get over Mike. And I know you don't feel ready for another relationship just yet. But Jacob seems like a really sweet guy. He wants to ask you out. It's only a date. It doesn't have to be anything more. Give me one good reason why you shouldn't go out with him."

_I think I might be crushing on Edward Cullen_, thought Bella. She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud. Alice was her oldest friend; she could usually tell her anything. But this felt too new, too strange. Bella was worried if she told someone else it would suddenly become real, and there'd be no turning back. She stayed silent.

"See?" said Alice, triumphantly. "It's a no-brainer. What could possibly go wrong?"

* * *

**A/N: What could possibly go wrong, indeed? With Bella's track record, I dread to think! I hope you're all pleased she is finally admitting her feelings for Edward though. It's been a long time coming!**

**So who has been your favourite Calendar Guy so far? And who would you like to see in the future? Let me know in your reviews!**

**Thanks for reading, Poppy xx**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight**


	26. Chapter 25

**A/N: Some of you were understandably frustrated at Bella after the last chapter. Im not sure she's going to redeem herself****_ just_**** yet… Have patience, dear readers - she is on a journey and needs to learn some life lessons!**

**I can't believe this is Chapter 25 - I'd only planned to write about 12 when I started! Thanks for all your continued support & 'welcome' to any new readers.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight.**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

Bella flew into her apartment in a whirlwind of mixed emotions. The butterflies of nerves, excitement and – she was just going to admit it – lust were fluttering around inside her stomach at the thought of her date with Jacob. But guilt was also lurking there as well, like a big, pulsating chrysalis just waiting to burst out of its cocoon. She tried to ignore it. Like Alice had said, it was only a date. And Edward was just a friend. _Who you wish was more than a friend_, her sub-conscious helpfully reminded her. She told it to shut up.

Jacob had wasted no time in asking her out. He must have texted her while he was on his way home. She'd agreed to meet him for dinner on Saturday evening. That would give Alice a couple of days to pick out an outfit for her. She knew anything less than that and her friend would freak out.

Whether it was her impending date with Jacob or her blossoming _friendship_ with Edward, Bella couldn't help feeling she'd started a new chapter in her life. While she was still fearful of letting someone into her life the way she had done with Mike, she felt like she could confidently close the door on all the heartache and hurt. For the first time in ages, she felt the urge to start working on her photo blog again. She'd taken nothing but the calendar shots since she'd started the _Eclipse_ job and she had an overwhelming urge to photograph something other than naked male flesh, as strange as that may be.

Smiling to herself, Bella booted up her laptop and logged onto her blog page. The comments on her pictures had built up since she'd last looked at it, so she absent-mindedly scrolled through them. She sat up straight as one comment – or rather, one commenter – in particular jumped out at her. _ECullen._ The post was dated a couple of weeks before the _Eclipse_ shoot had started, and presumably before Edward knew he'd landed the role of her assistant.

It read: "Bella Swan, you are incredible. Your photos make my life. It's like you can see inside my heart and then take pictures of all the beautiful things you know will make it beat."

Bella found herself a little overcome by the passion in Edward's words. He sure hadn't lied about being a fan. She knew if she'd read the comment when 'ECullen' was still a stranger she would have been flattered. But reading it now she knew Edward as a friend, she was truly moved. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat and typed a hasty reply, wondering if Edward would ever read it.

She didn't have to wonder for long. Within minutes, Edward had replied to her comment. "OMG, I can't believe you read that! *facepalm* I can't deny it though. Please tell me this means you're blogging again?"

Bella typed: "I'm thinking about it. I'm not sure my recent photos will be suitable though… LOL."

She barely had time to refresh the page before Edward's reply appeared: "Then let's get you out to take some new pictures. How about I take you to Colombia Park on Saturday afternoon? The trees look so stunning this time of year. We'll get some amazing shots. What do you say?"

Bella hesitated. Her dinner with Jacob was on Saturday evening. _Screw it._ She'd have time to do both. Her fingers flew over the keyboard. "OK, it's a date!" _If only it really was_, she thought wistfully.

oOoOo

Edward was looking a lot smarter than usual as he stood up from the park bench where he'd been waiting for Bella. He was dressed in a pale grey peacoat with a blue shirt underneath. _Winter colours_, thought Bella. _Is he trying to look cool?_ But Edward's ruffled bronze hair and the flecks of gold in his eyes were more suited to the fall scenery, and betrayed the true warmth of his personality. Bella couldn't help a smile creeping across her face as she approached him.

"Well, someone's dressed to impress," she teased.

"I thought I'd better make the effort," grinned Edward. "Besides, all my t-shirts are in the laundry."

"And there was me thinking I was special." Edward laughed, but Bella thought she caught a hint of something in his eyes; a recognition of truth in her joke. She felt her cheeks glow in the chill autumn air. "Oh, here – I brought you something." Bella reached into her bag and pulled out the book she'd carefully picked out that morning at _Barnes & Noble_.

Edward read the title aloud. "_Photos That Changed The World_. Oh my god, Bella, thank you. Thank you so much. Wow, this looks amazing. What have I done to deserve this?" He look baffled, but pleased.

"Okay, it sounds kind of corny but… you've sort of changed _my_ world, Edward. At least, you've changed the way I look at it. I mean, I was miserable, just wallowing in self-pity over Mike, and… well, your friendship has really helped me through that." Bella took a deep breath, glad she'd managed to get the words out without stumbling too much.

"Never underestimate the power of Dirty Scrabble," he grinned and Bella laughed, relieved at his attempt to lighten the heavy emotion of her little speech. "Really, thank you, Bella. This means a lot."

"Yeah, well… don't mention it." She tried to change the subject. "So you were right about this place, Edward. It's so beautiful. I can't wait to take some photos."

"Then what are we standing around talking for? Let's get started." He pushed his glasses back up his nose and pulled his new camera from his bag. Bella found herself marvelling again at the strong line of his jaw. He looked freshly shaved. She wondered what his smooth skin would feel like under her fingers.

They strolled down the winding path to a large duck pond, where a mother was feeding the ducks with her two small children, protected from the cold by oversized bobble hats and mittens. Bella and Edward stopped to watch a pair of swans gliding gracefully around a paddling of ducks fighting over the scraps of bread. Bella eagerly tried to capture the scene on camera.

"You know swans mate for life," said Edward. "That's why you always see two of them together."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"People argue against monogamy in humans, saying that animals don't stick to one partner so why should we? But swans are the natural world's way of saying that true love does exist." He looked searchingly at Bella.

"That's so sweet, Edward. But I'm kind of glad it's not true of humans though. Otherwise I'd be stuck with Mike Newton for the rest of my life." She half-laughed, pleasantly surprised she was now starting to see the funny side of what had been a living nightmare over the past few months.

Edward smiled fondly at her. "This is true. Bella, I'm glad you seem to be getting over all of that now. He sounds like he was such an asshole. It was breaking my heart to see you still hurting over him."

"I think Mike showing up again just gave me the closure I needed. It was so tough but I feel like I've turned a corner." She watched as the swans swam serenely past where they were standing. "I'm ready to move on with my life, you know?"

"That's great, Bella. Really, you don't know how pleased I am to hear it." Edward looked down at her with those intense golden eyes and she daringly held on to his gaze, her heart pounding with every second. It wasn't the first time Edward had looked at her like this. But while previously she'd been unsure whether they were sharing a 'moment,' there was no doubt in Bella's mind this time. Something special was passing between them.

"Hey Edward!" Edward turned around at the sound of his name, the sudden movement breaking the fragile spell that had been cast over them.

"Waylan," he grinned. "Good to see you, man. How are you keeping?" Bella looked past Edward to see a scruffy-looking old man dressed in a battered coat and woollen hat with a hole in it. Edward reached out to shake his hand.

"You here to take my photo again?" Waylan asked, scratching the grey stubble on his chin.

"Not today, Waylan. I'm just out with my friend Bella to take some pictures of the park," Edward smiled.

"Nice to meet you," said Bella.

"The pleasure's all mine. I can see why Edward here would rather be taking pictures of a pretty girl like you instead of my ugly mug," he chuckled, low and throaty. "Say, why don't I take a picture of you both? You make such a handsome couple. I'm sure I can figure out how to work one these new-fangled cameras."

"Okay, sure, why not?" said Edward, handing over his camera. He stepped back and put his arm around Bella's shoulder, leaning down to speak quietly to her. Goosebumps exploded on her neck as his warm breath tickled her ear. "So how does it feel to be on this side of the camera for a change?"

"Uncomfortable. I hate having my photo taken."

"Just play nice and say cheese." Edward pulled her closer in a playful squeeze.

_Click._

"Oh, I think that's a good one," Waylan called out. "Let's take one more for luck. Edward, why don't you give your girlfriend a kiss in this one?"

"Oh, she's not…"

"I think you should do what the man says, Edward," smirked Bella. She giggled as Edward nervously fixed his glasses and lowered his head to kiss her lightly on the cheek. Her breath quickened and her body tingled all over. Given the excitement of some of her recent sexploits, she couldn't believe something as chaste as an old-fashioned peck could have such an effect on her. While she usually hated smiling for photos, Bella knew she'd have a big, goofy grin on her face in this one.

Waylan passed the camera back to Edward, who thanked him profusely and asked Bella if she wanted to see the shots. "No, thanks. I'll wait until you've photoshopped me to look better," she replied.

"Not possible," said Edward, with a twinkle in his eye.

oOoOo

"God, I'm starved," said Bella. They'd walked for what felt like miles all afternoon and she'd really worked up an appetite.

"Well, why don't you come back to my place for something to eat? I'm a pretty terrible cook but we could get take-out. That's probably the safest option." Edward laughed.

"Oh, er, take-out sounds great, but I already have plans for dinner this evening." She looked at her watch. "In fact, I should really get going or I'll be late. I've had such a great afternoon, I'd totally lost track of the time." A look fell across Edward's face like a wounded puppy, and Bella could almost see his facial muscles working to hide it from her as soon as he realised. She couldn't help but take a perverse pleasure in his obvious disappointment, but at the same time the guilt gnawing away at her stomach was almost too much to bear. She prayed he didn't ask her the obvious question.

"So who's the lucky guy?" _He did. _"Or is it just a girls' night out?" He couldn't disguise the hope in his voice.

"Actually… it's with Jacob. The model from the other day." Bella let the awkward silence that followed stretch out between them like a barren wasteland. _I should have lied_, she thought to herself, knowing full well she could never tell Edward anything but the truth. He didn't deserve any less. "It's kind of a date."

Edward shoved his hands in his pockets and took a deep breath, looking down at the floor where he scuffed his feet. He let out something like a laugh, but Bella knew there was no mirth there. "I'm such a fucking idiot," he muttered, shaking his head. Bella wanted to say something, wanted to comfort and reassure him, but the words wouldn't come. Edward looked out across the park, then turned his gaze on Bella, his golden eyes flinty with hurt and anger.

"Bella. I thought _this_ was a date."

He spun on his heel and started walking away from her without another word, his shoulders hunched and his head hanging low. Bella stood there like a dumb fool, frozen to the spot, guilt and confusion wrapped around her like shackles. She knew she should call out to him. She wanted desperately to tell him how she felt. But she was terrified of what that would mean, of how that would change things. Her tongue was tied by fear. All she could do was watch as the bronze of his hair faded into to the autumn palette of the dying leaves.

* * *

**A/N: A bittersweet chapter, but I hope you liked it. Let me know in a review. :)**

**'Photos That Changed The World' by Peter Stepan is available from all good book stores.**

**Thanks & love, Poppy xx**


End file.
